A Fox And A Hound
by darkalbino
Summary: Not even nature's rivalry can come between affection, as orphaned fox Naruto and hunting dog Sasuke are about to discover...My version of Disney's the fox and the hound; SasuNaru
1. Prologue

**Title: A Fox and a Hound**

**Rating: Mature**

**Author: darkalbino**

**Warnings: Kemonomimi, lemons, strong language, violence, SasuNaru.  
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**Disclaimer: Own nothing, make no profit….damn  
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**xxxA Fox and a Houndxxx**

**xxxProloguexxx**

Cold spikes of rain cascaded down on her as she scrambled naked through the forest. Her ears were flat against her matted, waist-length red hair and crimson blood flowed freely from the gun-shot wound in her shoulder.

In her uninjured arm, she clutched something small and shivering desperately to her chest, its thin arms wrapped tightly around her neck and his tiny, orange ears also flat against his blond locks, so as not to let the rain run in.

Kyuubi stopped running and leaned against a tree, laboring for breath and raising her eyes to the pitch black sky peeking though the holes of the forest tree tops.

Her son raised his head slightly and brushed his lips against her cheek. "Mama?" he questioned weakly, the blood from his mother's wound soaking through his over-sized white shirt.

The fox woman forced a reassuring smile and pressed his face back into her shoulder, "Shh, sweetheart, please stay silent."

The kit nodded as his mother's head shot up to the sound of barking. She lurched forward in a full sprint, knowing it was over for her but she'd be damned if she'd let them have her son too.

Stumbling over rocks and through trees, her heart pounded wildly as she continued running to the one place she knew her child would be safe, and she stopped again when she reached her destination.

A true smile played on her lips when she spotted her old friend, leaning against a tree with one of his orange "novels" covering his masked face.

She had never been happier to see him.

With one last burst of energy, Kyuubi tightened her muscles and leapt over the wooden fence that separated the ranch from the forest. She nearly fell from her haste in running towards Kakashi but caught her footing and reached him, bloody and exhausted.

Kakashi glanced up from his book at the panting fox. "Hello Kyuubi...not very pleasant weather for you to be exercising in." His eyes widened when he caught sight of her wounded shoulder, and he dropped his book to the muddy ground, gray ears sticking up in alarm. "Kyuubi your -what happened?!"

Kyuubi, still trying to fill her lungs with air, shook her head and suddenly shoved her child to Kakashi's chest.

The wolf wrapped his arms around the shivering kit and gave the woman a questioning look.

Kyuubi pressed her now free hand over her bloody shoulder, breathing not become any easier for her even with the loss of the extra weight. Her vision began blurring around its edges as she looked up at the wolf, "Please Kakashi...take care...of him." she forced out through heavy pants.

Kakashi shook his head. "Stop spewing nonsense Kyuubi! We have to clean your wound!" A sudden thought struck him and he overlooked the child in his arms to make sure he wasn't injured as well, sighing with relief to find the only thing red with blood was his drenched shirt.

Kyuubi gripped his shoulder. "No Ka...the dogs..."

The wolf's eyes widened. "Hunters…"

She nodded weakly.

Kakashi sighed and reached forward, pulling his friend into a hug with Naruto pressed between them. When he pulled back, he thought he could see tears streaming down her cheeks, but he could not tell the difference between them and the rain.

Kyuubi smiled and leaned down to cup her son's face, taking a huge breath in an attempt to speak clearly and steadily. "Naruto, dear...be good."

The young blond bit his lip and reached forward to grab at strands of his mother's hair. "Don't go Mama, don't leave me here."

Kyuubi took his hand out of her hair and kissed him softly on the mouth, pushing him further into Kakashi's embrace. Her ears remained flat and her tail, like the rest of her body, lay limp and tired behind her. "I love you." she whispered, "Be good...for me." And before he could respond, she slipped away from his grasp and dashed back into the forest.

Naruto stared after her for a moment before looking up at the wolf that carried him. "She's...she'll come back, right Kashi? Mama will be back?"

The man stared at him sadly, not finding it in his heart to tell the kit the truth. He turned and began walking towards the ranch-house; there was no way he was capable of taking care of a kit, but he knew someone who would be perfect for the job.

A loud clap of thunder suddenly boomed through the forest, causing Naruto to jerk with surprise and leaving an uncomfortable ring in his ears. He clung tightly to Kakashi as the wolf lifted an arm and knocked on a wooden door.

A few moments later, a dark brunet man opened the door with a disheveled appearance, as if he'd been woken up from sleep. "Kakashi?" He frowned at the tears that were threatening to spill out of the wolf's eyes and glanced at the small figure in his arms. "What's the matter?"

Kakashi sighed shakily and held Naruto out to him. "I know you want a child…but here's the next best thing."

Iruka gasped at the blood stained kit and quickly took him from Kakashi's hold, "Naruto!" He looked up at the other male. "Kakashi, this is Kyuubi's so-"

"I know." He murmured quietly, cutting him off, his fists clenched at his sides. "But she...she's..." and he could not muster up the strength to continue.

Naruto's blue orbs widened with understanding, realizing at this moment that there had never been any thunder during this storm (1). And for the first time that night, he felt hot tears leak down his face.  
**  
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(1) the "thunder" Naruto heard, was the gun shot that killed his mother


	2. Opposites Attract

********

xxxChapter 1: Opposites Attractxxx

_**Two Months Later...**_

Naruto sat eagerly by the front window of the house with a huge grin plastered on his whiskered face, tail flicking side to side with anticipation.

Iruka came out of the kitchen with a mug of coffee in his hand and raised a brow at the blond. "Naruto, what are you doing?"

The fox tilted his head, "Waiting."

Iruka eyed him suspiciously. Over the past months, Naruto, lovable as he was, had become a mischievous little thing. "Waiting for what?"

"The mailman." he piped.

The brunet's forehead crinkled as he studied the boy.

Animals grew at a faster rate than humans, so instead of the tiny two-year old looking child he used to be, he now took on the form of about a six year old. His wild blond spikes fell at random stops around his face, and his orange ears, with blackened tips and tints of red and gold, were overly large and stuck up in excitement. His tail, an exact color copy of his ears, was flitting happily from side to side. And because he was still small, his big blue eyes took up most of his face, them being the first thing you were drawn to at first glance of him. He wore a slightly over-sized, plain orange shirt that fell off his shoulder on one side, and light blue jeans that cut off at his knees, his feet bare.

The man sighed heavily, fighting back a smile at how beautifully his adopted son was growing up to be. "Naruto, I've told you about spraying the mailman with water." Iruka warned.

The fox's grin only grew as he looked to his father. "I know daddy." He turned his attention back out the window.

The endearment broke through him, and Iruka let the smile show as he sat down next to the boy and looked outside as well.

Not too long later, Naruto's excitement began rolling off him in waves of energy when he spotted the white truck coming up the road and stop in front of their house.

Iruka watched with apprehension as Naruto bit his lip to hold back a smile, and he felt a bubble of doubt grow in his stomach. Naruto's face had "prank" written all over it.

Outside, the mailman, with his standard blue uniform and three envelopes in his hand, cautiously poked his head out of the truck and scanned the area for any sign of that little orange monster. When he caught no sight of him, he gingerly stepped out and slowly made his way to the mailbox, being careful to look all around himself the whole time.

When he reached the small box without any injury or being drenched in any type of liquid, he relaxed a bit and reached out to pull the lid. The second he did though, a loud 'pop' could be heard all through the farm, and the man sputtered, looking down to find himself splattered with blue paint.

Iruka's eyes widened and he snapped his head to Naruto, who was in a fit of laughter beside him. But his mirth slowly died down at the stern glare Iruka was pinning him with. He gulped, "What? It matches his uniform…" he argued softly before glancing outside to see the man drop the mail and run back to his truck, racing away with a heap of dust in his wake.

Iruka abruptly stood up and placed his hands under Naruto's armpits, hoisting him up and looking him straight in the eye. "I warned you about this Naruto."

"Nooo, you said don't spray him with _water_, you never said anything about paint."

The man groaned and shook him slightly, "How many times do I have to tell you to cut it out with these pranks?!"

Naruto's ears suddenly flattened against his head, eyes watering and lips sticking out in an adorable pout. "I'm sorry daddy..." he murmured.

A stab of guilt pierced through Iruka's chest, but he shook his head in an attempt to fight it. "Don't you give me that look, you're in big trouble!"

The kit whined cutely and leaned forward to bury his face in the other's neck, wrapping his arms around him.

Well, needless to say, it was no use trying to resist. Iruka smiled and hugged him back. "You little…" He snorted and chuckled. "You know I can't stay mad at you."

But he couldn't see Naruto's grin, "Hehehe, sucker."

"What was that?"

The head of blond suddenly peeked up with a smile. "I love you daddy! Can I go outside and play?"

Iruka sighed; even the devil himself could break at this kid's charm. "Yes, you can go."

Naruto beamed and reached up to peck him on the cheek. "Thank you!" Iruka nodded and put him down and he hurried to the door and outside.

Iruka watched him go with a small smile and brought a hand up to his cheek. "He's something else" he murmured quietly before picking up his mug and going back into the kitchen.

****

x-X-0-X-x

Itachi cracked open one eye at the sound of a truck approaching, and both eyes when he recognized it as his master's truck. He stood up from the rocking chair on the porch and gracefully walked down the wooden steps to stand at the bottom.

When the vehicle stopped and shut off, a mini version of himself and his master stepped out.

The small dog, Sasuke, rushed up to his brother and wrapped his arms around his legs. "Brother, I'm back!"

Itachi smiled. "Yes, I can see that." He gently pushed the child away and looked up at the other man, while Sasuke stayed beside him with his black, furry tail swooshing behind him happily.

Itachi spoke, "I trust everything went well with his examination?"

The snake-like man nodded with a satisfied grin. "He's going to make an excellent hunting dog. With his natural abilities and your training, why, he might even surpass you."

The dog snorted softly. "Let's not get carried away, he has quite a way to go before he can even match me."

Orochimaru chuckled. "Yes, well, he may not look like much now but he'll grow into his talents soon enough." He walked up the porch steps to the front door of his house, placing a hand on the screen door. "Perhaps you two should spend some quality time together. After all, it's been a couple of months, hasn't it?"

Neither boy answered, and he smirked slightly before going inside.

Now that their master was gone, Sasuke tugged at his brother's white shirt. "Is that true brother? Will I really be as good as you?" he asked with hopeful longing.

The older dog sighed and placed a hand on the other's head. "Perhaps, but you'll have to work extremely hard. Becoming a skilled hunting dog is by no means an easy task."

Sasuke nodded eagerly, "I know! But with you teach...ing...me..." he trailed off, nose twitching at the air.

Itachi raised a brow. "What's wrong?"

Sasuke closed his eyes, dark ears sticking up in an alert stance and tail slowing to a gentle sway. "Don't you" he sniffed, "smell that? It's...different."

The older dog closed his eyes as well and sniffed. "...I don't smell anything unusual."

Sasuke's grip on his brother's shirt went slack, until he let go completely, walking away from him.

"Sasuke, where are you going?"

"I have to – sniff – find out what – sniff – that smell is."

The man sighed and shook his head, walked back up the porch to the rocking chair and sat down. "The master won't be happy about you going off on your own, Sasuke."

But the pup was too far gone in his search to hear him.

****

x-X-0-X-x

Sasuke wandered through the thick forest, guided by nothing but his nose. So concentrated on his search, he hadn't even noticed that, for a while now, a little blond had caught sight of the boy and started to follow him.

Naruto pouted. He'd been following this dog for some time and he still couldn't figure out what he was doing. Well, he could only wait for so long, "Hey, what'cha doin'?"

Sasuke started from surprise and whirled around, coming face to face with a little blond boy with orange ears. He stared for a moment or two before tilting his head. "Hunting, I'm on the trail."

Naruto raised a brow and innocently laced his hands behind his back, "Hunting?"

"Yeah," Sasuke placed a hand against a tree and smelled it as well.

The fox tilted his head. "What's 'hunting'?"

Sasuke ignored him and closed his eyes once again. He was so close to it, he knew he was. Sasuke turned around and leaned forward; felt his nose pressed against the very scent he'd been following.

Opening his obsidian eyes, Sasuke found himself staring into endless orbs of blue, their noses pressed against each other. He blinked twice. "It's you."

Naruto blinked back and merely smiled.

Sasuke pulled away and tilted his head back, letting out a long and exaggerated howl that caused Naruto's ears to flatten and one of his eyes to close.

When the pup finished, he caught the blond staring at him.

"What'd you do that for?" he chimed.

Sasuke shrugged. "That's what you have to do after you find what you're looking for."

"Oh..."

Sasuke lifted a hand and traced the edge of the other's orange ear; it twitched under the movement. "What are you? Another dog?"

Naruto jerked, surprised by the question, then smiled. "No silly! I'm a fox, haven't you seen one before?"

The dog shook his head.

"Oh, um, well I haven't seen one either actually, but I know there are more." He folded his hands over his head and asked, "Why were you looking for me?"

Sasuke eyed him and gave an annoyed huff. "You're stupid."

The fox sputtered and pouted. "I am not! It's just a question!"

"But I told you already, because I was hunting."

Naruto frowned and made a pensive noise. "Is that...like a game?"

"A...game?"

Naruto suddenly lurched forward with clenched fists and a huge smile, his ears up and tail swishing excitedly. "Yeah! Like hide and seek! I bet you'd be real good at that!"

Sasuke leaned back a bit from the other's energy. "I...don't know what that is."

His smile fell. "You've _never_ played hide and seek?" he asked, as if this news were some unforgivable sin.

The pup lowered his eyes with a blush.

Naruto grinned and grabbed his hand. "Hey! Don't be sad! I'll teach you!"

Sasuke beamed at the other, tail wagging and ears perking up. "Okay!"

Naruto nodded, letting go of his hand. "Okay, close your eyes and count to ten. I'll go hide and when you finish, then you come find me, get it?"

"I think so."

"Kay, close your eyes."

Sasuke did and when he heard the other scurrying around, he cracked one open slightly.

Naruto paused and furrowed his brows. "NO! You can't PEEK!"

Sasuke flinched. "Oh – okay." Sasuke brought both hands up over his eyes and started over, "One...two...three..." He flattened his ears and continued counting.

Naruto made sure the other boy wasn't looking before crouching and crawling into a log, then lying down completely still.

"Ten!" The pup yelled before opening his eyes. He scanned the area in search of the fox and sniffed at the air when he couldn't see him.

Naruto snickered softly in his hiding spot. "He'll never find me in..." He blinked, looking out the end of the log to see Sasuke's pale face.

The dog smirked. "Found you."

Naruto snorted irritably and crawled out, standing up next to the other. "No FAIR! How did you find me so fast?"

Sasuke laughed and tapped his nose.

"Humph, cheater."

"Also, because you're an idiot."

"Nu-uh!"

"Yeah-huh."

"Am not!

"Are too."

"Am NOT!

"Are TOO!"

Naruto growled and jumped forward, tackling the other to the ground. "I AM NOT AN IDIOT! You're a JERK!"

Sasuke grinned, rolling himself over so he pinned the fox to the floor by his shoulders, leaning down to his face, tail swishing merrily. "This is fun! What other games can we play?"

Naruto's face suddenly broke out into a smile and he sat up partially so he was chest to chest with the other boy, neither of them aware of the provocative implications of the position. "You wanna play more?"

Sasuke nodded eagerly, "Yeah!"

"Do you wanna be friends with me?"

Suddenly, Sasuke's tail stopped wagging, and his face scrunched up in confusion, "Friends?"

"Uh-huh!"

His ears pressed against his dark head. "My master says," he bit his lip and looked away. "He says friends will make me weak and I won't be a good hunting dog."

Naruto's mouth parted, and he made a thoughtful sound before responding. "I don't think that's true. If we're friends, we can play together all the time! And that'll help with your – um," he searched for that word, "hunting, won't it?"

"That's true…and my master does want me to train more."

"So you wanna be friends?"

Sasuke smiled. "We can play more? If we're friends?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay, then yeah, let's be friends! Do you wanna- "

"Sasukeeee!"

Both boys jumped at the call, and Naruto's head cocked while Sasuke's ears went flat again. "Uh-oh."

"Sasukeeeee!"

Sasuke cringed and climbed off the boy, standing up. "I gotta go."

Naruto frowned sadly. "Awwww, why?" he whined while standing up as well.

"That's my master calling me."

"Your name is Sasuke?"

"Yes."

Naruto smiled. "I like that name!"

The pup blushed. "Thank you."

"I'm Naruto, by the way."

"Naruto..." Sasuke tried the word, finding that he liked the way it seemed to fit on his tongue.

"SASUKEEEE!"

Sasuke started almost violently. "I really gotta go," He moved to leave but Naruto reached out and caught his hand, causing him to look back. "Naruto, my master will be upset with me."

The blond bit his lip. "But...I'll see you again tomorrow, right?"

Sasuke smiled, tail wagging again. "Of course, I'll be here."

Naruto brightened. "Okay!" He lightly pecked the other's cheek before running in the opposite direction with a wave. "See you tomorrow, Sasuke!" he yelled, as he disappeared through the trees.

Sasuke stood rooted to the spot, wondering why that little kiss had sent shivers down to his toes and made his palms grow warm. The voice of his master broke through his reverie, and Sasuke hurried  
home, thinking of how much he couldn't wait for tomorrow to come.  
**  
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	3. Beyond Forever

****

xxxChapter 2: Beyond Foreverxxx

Iruka stared wide-eyed with a poised spoon as Naruto hastily shoveled his breakfast into the garbage disposal he called his mouth.

The blond dropped his spoon onto the plate with a loud clatter and forced out a "DONE!" before leaping off the chair and running to the door, his cheeks puffing out with un-chewed food.

"Hoooold it." Iruka ordered, stopping the boy just as he had placed a hand on the knob. He put down his spoon and turned to him. "And just where are you in such a hurry to go?"

The kit swallowed what was in his mouth and let out a huge smile."Outside! To play!"

"Not before you do your chores you're not."

Naruto's smile fell, his tail going limp. "Awww, but daddy-"

"No. You're not getting out of them today, Naruto."

The blond pouted, _'Stupid chores! They're going to hold me back from seeing Sasuke!'_ He tried once more, flattening his ears. "But...I really wanna play..."

Iruka shook his head, standing up from the table and picking up the dishes. "The faster you do them, the faster you can play. At least shovel the hay out of the barn, all right?"

The fox groaned, "Okaaaaay," he muttered before walking out the door.

****

x-X-0-X-x

Sasuke huffed for the fourth time and began kicking lightly at the log the fox had been hiding in yesterday.

Where WAS he? Sasuke had _said _he was coming back today and here he was, even though his master had _warned _him not to go back into the forest unless accompanied by either him or Itachi.

He stopped kicking the wood and tilted his head back to the treetops, remembering his brother's behavior yesterday when Sasuke had come back from playing with Naruto.

The older dog had sniffed him, scrunched up his nose and asked if he'd found what he was looking for. When Sasuke replied with a 'yes', he'd smirked and murmured 'good' before walking away. And the pup realized that by 'found', what his brother had actually meant was 'killed', so he had unknowingly lied to him.

He sniffed and looked down at his feet. "Where _are _you?"

Deciding he'd waited long enough, Sasuke crouched down and inhaled the log until he caught the other's scent. Closing his eyes, he followed the smell, down to the patch of grass they had rolled around in yesterday and up to trace the path the fox had taken home.

Eventually, Sasuke bumped into something hard and opened his eyes, finding himself in front of a wooden fence with two railings. He lifted a brow and peeked through the barrier, catching sight of a head of blond shoveling something out of a barn.

His tail went into overdrive as he hopped the fence with a smile, running up to the other boy. "Hey! Naruto!"

The young fox paused and looked over his shoulder, face breaking out into a huge grin, "Sasuke!"

Sasuke caught up and eyed the shovel in the other's hand. "I was waiting for you in the forest. What are you doing?"

The other boy sighed and glanced at the stack of hay, "Chores."

"Oh" Sasuke shifted between the hay stack and his friend. He sniffed and rubbed his arm under his nose, "Are you almost done?"

Naruto pouted and glared at the hay stack, "No, not really."

Sasuke's ears drooped sadly. "Does...that mean we can't play today?"

Naruto opened his mouth to tell him that they had to wait until he was finished, but when he caught the look of obvious disappointment in Sasuke's eyes, he closed it and dropped the shovel instead. "I can do them later," he chimed, reaching forward and grabbing a pale hand.

Sasuke brightened up immediately and pulled Naruto closer. "Okay! Let's go!"

"Yeah!"

Just as they turned around to run into the forest, they unexpectedly hit something solid that knocked them back.

Kakashi smirked behind his mask, placing his hands on his hips. "Slacking on our responsibilities, Naruto? Iruka won't be too happy about that."

The blond shot him a light glower, "Like you can talk Kakashi!"

"Now now, let's not go there, what happened to my nickname?"

Naruto thrust his chest out in what was supposed to be an intimidating manner, but ended up being simply adorable. "I'm big now! I have to talk to you like big people!"

Kakashi used his book to tap the fox on the head, instantly deflating him. "Oh that's not true, you call Iruka 'daddy' all the time."

Naruto blushed. "That's different! He's my _daddy_! You're my _teacher_!"

Kakashi placed a fist on his hip, "Well, if you ask me, I think you're just trying to impress your little friend here." He turned his gaze on Sasuke, "Isn't that right?"

Naruto's blush deepened considerably, "Nu-uh! I don't have to impress Sasuke!"

"Ahhh," the wolf mused, leaning down until he was eye level with the pup. "So you're Orochimaru's latest prized possession. I feel like I'm talking to a celebrity, Naruto wouldn't shut up about you yesterday."

Sasuke's ears perked up, obviously pleased at hearing this news, but Naruto shook his head rapidly with a flushed face, his ears flapping with the movement, "Liar! All I said was he was fun to play with and that we were friends now!"

Kakashi lifted a hand, flicking up each finger as he spoke, "_And _how nice he smelled, _and _how strong he was, _and _how good he was at finding you, _and _how pretty his eyes were, _and_-"

"Stop it!" the blond yelled in embarrassment. "So I like Sasuke! So what?! We're _friends_!" He stomped his foot and raised his head, "Friends are _supposed _to like each other!"

Kakashi chuckled. "Well, if you say so."

"Hmph!" Naruto turned to the other boy, "C'mon Sasuke! Let's go play!" He began his run towards the forest, pulling Sasuke along with him and lifted his free hand in the air, "See you later Kashi!"

The wolf smiled to himself. "Later."

****

x-X-0-X-x

The sun was bright as they walked shoulder to shoulder through a clearing Naruto had brought them to, when abruptly, Sasuke stopped, causing the blond to stop as well. "What's the matter?"

Sasuke looked to him and smiled, tilting his head. "Nothing's the matter, stupid."

Naruto's cheeks puffed out in irritation. "Stop calling me that! I am _not _stupid!"

Sasuke snorted small laugh and turned fully to his friend. "Is it true what the wolf said? That you were talking about me a lot?"

The kit blushed lightly. "Um, well," He bit his lip and rolled his eyes. "I was just sharing the things I like about you! But Kashi likes to tease me." He waved hand through the air and grinned, "Forget about that! Let's play!" He suggested, before lightly shoving the other boy and yelling "TAG! You're it!" then started running off in the other direction.

But before he got far, he stopped, wondering why there were no footsteps behind him. And when he turned around, he saw Sasuke standing in the same spot with a parted mouth and slightly furrowed brows.

The blond made a curious noise and hopped back over to him. Sasuke frowned and stared at him. "Why did you push me?"

Naruto blinked, "Because…you're _it_."

Sasuke crossed his arms, his expression turning confused rather than annoyed. "I'm...what, exactly?"

Naruto's jaw dropped. "You've never played 'tag' either?"

"No..." Sasuke turned his head to the side but kept his gaze on Naruto, "Do I have to find you again?"

"No," Naruto shook his head and lightly touched the tips of his fingers to Sasuke's shoulders. "I touched you, so you're it." He explained, "Now _you _have to chase _me _and touch _me_" he pointed to himself with both forefingers, "so _I'm_ it, then I chase you back."

Coal eyes narrowed. "I...don't have to count?"

"Uh-uh."

Sasuke's lips twitched upward as he balled his hands excitedly. "Okay, I think I get it."

Naruto smiled back at him. "Good." He leaned forward, "So Sasuke,"

The pup's brows flew up curiously, "Hn?"

Naruto grinned and lifted a hand. "You're" he shoved the other gently, "_it_," and he whirled around and raced back into the forest, this time hearing footsteps pounding behind him. A grin spread out on his face as he slipped through trees and hopped over fallen logs.

Suddenly, his breath hitched and he halted to a stop, staring down a steep hill. He teetered over the edge, tiny arms flailing out wildly for balance, when Sasuke came up behind him and lurched forward.

He wrapped his arms around the kit's torso and took them tumbling down the slanted land.

When they hit and rolled to a stop on the ground, both were panting heavily. Naruto was lying on his side and Sasuke was on his knees beside him with palms pressed against the earth. A river flowed in front of them, its waters trickling like a stream of quiet murmurs.

The blond suddenly began giggling, and rolled over to lie beneath his friend, who moved his pale arm to make room and placed it on the other side of the boy.

Naruto smiled up at him, eyes shining with delight. "Sasuke?" he hummed softly.

Sasuke cocked his head, one ear flattening to the side. "Hm?"

Naruto took a deep breath and shifted slightly beneath the pup. "Is it too early to say," he reached up and poked Sasuke's nose lightly with a small laugh, "that you are my very best friend?"

Sasuke blinked and smiled back, his tail thumping the ground repeatedly. "No, you're mine too, Naruto."

Naruto brightened and sat up halfway on his elbows, Sasuke's face centimeters from his. "And we'll always be friends, right Sasuke? Forever?"

Sasuke nodded quickly, his heart picking up speed, "More than forever."

The blond tilted his head back to look directly up at his friend with a beaming smile, "Promise?"

Sasuke moved forward, so their chests touched, "Promise."

Heat crept up uninvited to Naruto's cheeks, and he suddenly felt the urge to lean in and nuzzle Sasuke's neck. To memorize the softness of his skin and pull him close until they stained each other with their own scents. But instead, he sat up and moved back with a tiny grin. "Let's play 'I spy'."

Sasuke crossed his legs and looked at him. "Okay."

Naruto started slightly, surprised. "You know how to play?"

Sasuke tipped his head proudly. "I've actually played this game before, with my brother."

Naruto clenched his fists, tail swishing back and forth. "Great! But let's make up a new rule! This time, you have to move closer to whatever you're spying, okay?"

Sasuke's ears perked up and he nodded eagerly. "Okay!"

"Kay, you can go first."

"Alright, I spy with my little eye," Sasuke flicked his gaze up, "something yellow."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Uuuummm..." He looked up at the light poking through the treetops, then back at Sasuke, "The sun?"

Sasuke shook his head. "Nu-uh," He twirled his finger in a vague circle around them, "it's around here."

Naruto bit his lip and looked behind to the river, his gaze trailing to the cascading waterfall where he caught sight of his reflection. His eyes widened and he snapped back to Sasuke with a smile, "My hair!"

"Yeah!"

Naruto clapped excitedly as Sasuke scooted closer to him. The pup clasped his hands between his legs, tail swishing merrily behind him. "Okay, your turn Naruto."

Naruto folded his hands over his head with a cheeky grin. "Hmmmm, I spy with my little eye sooommmeeethiiinnng" his eyes flitted to Sasuke, "dark."

Sasuke raised a brow, "Uh" he peeked behind Naruto, "the river?"

"No," Naruto lowered his hand, "But your close."

Sasuke looked down at himself. "Um..." He reached up and ran pale fingers through his hair, his face suddenly beaming, "_My _hair!"

"You're close!"

"My ears!"

"Right!" Naruto yelled and moved closer to the other boy, their knees touching.

"Okay" Sasuke chirped. "I spy something bright blue."

Naruto didn't even need to think, "My eyes!"

"Yeah!" Sasuke leaned forward, pressing their noses together.

Naruto's heart was beating erratically, his smile dazzling. "I spy something _dark _blue!"

"My shirt!"

Naruto yelped with delight and pushed forward, the sensitive flesh of their mouths coming into contact.

Sasuke's tail was beating heavily at the ground, excitement coursing through his veins. And with each word he spoke, their lips brushed teasingly. "I spy someone wet!"

Naruto's eyebrows shot up and he tilted his head, taking in air from Sasuke's mouth and savoring how perfectly their mouths seemed to trace each other, "Who?"

"You!" Sasuke hollered happily before jumping forward and taking Naruto and himself to splash into the river.

When they re-surfaced, soaked to the bone, Naruto began laughing and splashed water at Sasuke's face.

The pup sputtered and glared at him, but his grin took out any anger in the act. "Hey! Not fair!"

"_Completely _fair!" Naruto retorted with a smile. "You wet me _first_!"

"I got wet too!" Sasuke argued while splashing the other back.

Naruto brought up his arms to shield his face, and both boys began laughing uncontrollably as they thrust their arms in attempts to splash each other.

But the fun didn't last long, "Sasukeee!"

The pup flinched, and Naruto's ears flattened against his head. "Not again," he murmured softly.

Sasuke sighed, swimming to the edge and crawling out of the water and shaking himself dry. "I guess I have to go."

Naruto frowned, coming out of the water as well, drips falling from the ends of his spiky hair. "Why is your master so mean?" he whined.

Sasuke looked back at him and shrugged. "He just wants what's best for me. Doesn't your master do the same thing?"

Naruto shook himself off and raised a brow. "I don't have a 'master'...I have my daddy, Iruka. Well, he's not _really _my daddy, but my mama died when I was little, so Iruka takes care of me."

Sasuke opened his mouth to respond but another call from his master shut it with a cringe.

Naruto's eyes darkened sadly. He didn't want his friend to leave, not when they were having such a good time together.

Sasuke caught the look and stepped forward until he was in front of him. With the only thing on his mind being to comfort the blond, he reached up and cupped his face in both hands, tail swaying left to right and ears pressed down. It hurt him to see Naruto sad. "Hey, I'll come back tomorrow. Best friends, right? Forever?"

Naruto locked gazes with him, a tiny smile coming through, "More than forever."

"Right," Sasuke whispered back, and, following impulse, leaned forward and kissed the other softly on the mouth. He took in the moment, mind clouded with the mellow taste of other's lips, but a small moan sliced through the fog and made him quickly pulled back with a blush.

Naruto was no different, wide-eyed with surprise. But after a few silent moments, he relaxed and smiled.

Sasuke coughed awkwardly and pulled away, his blush not dying down. "Um," He turned half-way and placed the back of his hand just centimeters away from his mouth, "I'll see you tomorrow, okay Naruto?"

The blond nodded, staring curiously at the pup's poised hand. "Okay Sasuke."

Sasuke shook his head and moved his hand to rub his red-stained cheek. He smiled up at Naruto once more and waved before turning around and rushing towards his master's voice.

****

x-X-0-X-x

Naruto opened the door to his home and stepped inside, quietly closing it again.

"Back already?"

The blond whirled around to face Iruka on the couch, his ears automatically flattening against his hair, "H – Hi, daddy." He put up the best smile he could, but it came out crooked and nervous.

Iruka stared at the lame attempt and let out an exasperated sigh, "You didn't do your chores."

Naruto lowered his eyes. "Stupid Kashi..."

"No Naruto, I saw you leave with Orochimaru's dog." He crossed his arms, "Sasuke, right?"

Naruto lurched forward earnestly, his palms spreading out as he explained, "But I really wanted to play with him daddy, I'm sorry about the chores..."

Iruka shook his head and smiled. He signaled for Naruto to come sit with him with a curled finger.

The kit hung his head and walked over to him, slowly crawling onto his father's lap.

Iruka sat straighter and wrapped his arms around the boy. "What's going on with you and Sasuke?"

Naruto's gaze snapped up to him, wide and pleading. "Nothing daddy! He's my friend and we play together."

Iruka sighed heavily, licking his lips. "Naruto...you understand that Sasuke is a hunting dog, right?"

Naruto's ears suddenly shot up, his eyes shining with curiosity. "Daddy, what is that word? Hunting?"

Iruka stiffened and stared at him sadly. He lifted a hand and ran it through golden locks as he spoke, "Hunting, Naruto, is what dogs like Sasuke and people like Orochimaru do in the forest. The dog looks for animals like deer, rabbits, birds...foxes, and he traps it so his master can shoot and kill it."

Naruto's eyes widened, his ears pressing down again. "That's awful! Sasuke would never do that to me! He likes me daddy! He said so!"

"I understand Naruto, but why do you think Orochimaru screamed for Sasuke to come home when you two were in the forest?"

Naruto paused for a moment to think before shrugging.

Iruka stooped stroking his hair, his hand lying completely still. "It's because he doesn't want you to be friends."

Something unseen pierced through Naruto's chest, sharp and painful, "But why?"

"Naruto," Iruka shifted the kit on his lap and licked his lips to continue, "I know you and Sasuke like each other right now, but you have to understand, you won't stay little forever. You two are going to grow up, and he's going to be a trained hunting dog."

"That doesn't matter!" Naruto yelled, gripping Iruka's shirt with tiny fists. "We'll always be friends! He promised me!"

Iruka exhaled a deep breath and smiled slightly, burying his hand in the fox's hair. "You know what, Naruto?" He tugged slightly at the other's hair to kiss his forehead, and then stared down at him, "I really hope you're right."

* * *

**A/N: There will be no shota in this story. Shota doesn't fly with darkalbino :P  
**


	4. Sting of Separation

**A/N:_ flashbacks look like this_**

**

* * *

  
**

****

Chapter 3: Sting of Separation

Naruto sighed and dipped the tip of his tail into the river, watching as the small circle dilated and broke apart into larger ones.

He huffed softly and rubbed his cheek against the grass before snorting irritably. "It's weird that Sasuke hasn't shown up yet," he murmured to himself. He looked up, squinted at the sun through the treetops and muttered, "It's already past noon."

Naruto pressed his palms against the ground and pushed himself up to his feet.

He knew where Sasuke _lived_; they were practically next door neighbors. But was it really a good idea to go see him? With that jerk of a master?

Naruto tapped his chin in thought, looking to his side. "But what if something bad happened to Sasuke? A real friend would go see if he was okay." He smiled, cheeks reddening slightly as he pictured their kiss from yesterday. "And we're _best _friends," he reasoned.

Nodding in agreement with his plan, Naruto stretched and dusted off the back of his beige shorts. He began walking, fighting down the feeling of worry writhing in the pit of his stomach.

****

x-X-0-X-x

The first thing Naruto saw upon reaching Sasuke's home, was Sasuke himself. The pup was sitting with drooping ears, a frown, and a still tail in front of an empty barrel that was on its side, half buried into the ground to provide shade.

Naruto quirked a brow and slowly crawled out of the bushes, sneaking his way up to the other boy, "Psst! Sasuke!"

Sasuke raised his eyes and gasped as Naruto slid up next to him. "Naruto!" he whispered excitedly, ears perking and tail wagging.

Naruto tilted his head. "Why are you here Sasuke?" He frowned, "You didn't want to see me today?"

Sasuke quickly shook his head. "No Naruto, of course I wanted to see you...it's just..." he sighed and lifted his hand, cradling a rope.

Blue eyes traced the line, realizing that it wrapped around Sasuke's neck and was tied to the barrel. His ears flattened, "Oh Sasuke" he murmured sadly, "Your master tied you up?"

The pup nodded. "He said what I was doing with you wasn't right and that I needed to be 'properly disciplined'."

Naruto's frown deepened, remembering what Iruka had said yesterday. "But…" he trailed off and crawled closer to Sasuke, putting his face right up in other male's so they were nose to nose, making Sasuke's breath hitch. Naruto stared sternly at him, eyes wide and so very blue, "You don't believe him, right? You like being friends with me," his ears flattened against his head, "don't you, Sasuke?"

Sasuke was quick to agree, "Of course I do!" He held Naruto's gaze and sighed quietly, "But he's my master...what can I do?"

Naruto whined softly and leaned forward, rubbing his face into Sasuke's neck and wrapping his arms around the other's shoulders, cuddling him.

Sasuke blushed and began nuzzling his hair in response. "I'm sorry."

Naruto shook his head, about to say it wasn't Sasuke's fault when a sudden snort made him jump with surprise and release him.

The noise hadn't been loud, but it hadn't come from his or Sasuke's mouth. He looked at the other boy, "What was _that_?"

Before Sasuke could answer, Naruto, on all fours, crawled to the side of the barrel, where he found a bigger version of Sasuke sitting against the wood, sleeping.

Naruto slowly raised a brow. "Sasuke...do you know there's a bigger you back here?"

Sasuke's ears flattened deeply against his head. "Naruto, that's my brother! Get away from him!" he commanded in a firm whisper.

The blond ignored him, tilting his head and crawling further until he was nose to nose with the dog.

Coal eyes widened, "Naruto!"

The kit squinted, scrutinizing the sleeping face. "What? I just wanna look. Besides, he's sleeping." He straddled the other's lap and lifted his hands, hooking his thumbs under Itachi's upper lip to reveal a row of straight white canines. "Woooow, he has _sharp _teeth," he murmured in awe.

Sasuke blanched and reached for the boy, but the rope prevented him from going that far.

There was no telling what would happen if Itachi woke up! His brother might be a bit on the kind side to him, but Sasuke had witnessed Itachi hunt - the way he tore and destroyed his prey, leaving it bloody with a blank stare in its eyes. Itachi was more than capable of being cruel.

Sasuke would say his brother could be near heartless at times...

**_Sasuke's eyes widened as his brother tossed a limp, white rabbit in front of him, as if it were nothing more than a piece of wood._**

**_The pup whined and cradled the bloody animal in his arms. It was breathing erratically, desperate to cling to what little life it had left._**

**_Sasuke looked up at the other with tear-touched eyes. "Why brother? It's not time to hunt..."_**

**_Itachi's face remained impassive, and he crouched down in front of his baby brother, placing a curled finger under the pup's chin. "You are far too soft-hearted, little brother. You lack the cruelty of a hunting dog, you lack its hatred. And this is the only way I can help you to gain these aspects." He lowered his hand._**

**_Sasuke bit his lip, crying now. "But..."_**

**_Itachi smirked, putting one hand on Sasuke's head and the other under the rabbit, pushing the two together until Sasuke's ear was pressed against the animal's chest. "Listen closely, little brother, and you will hear its heart stop beating."_**

Sasuke was near tears as he replaced the rabbit with an image of Naruto, and he pleaded again desperately, "Naruto _please_! I don't want him to hurt you!"

Naruto sighed and looked at him. "Fine," he muttered. But when he turned to glance once more at the other dog, he found himself staring into blood red eyes.

Naruto didn't know how long he sat there, how quickly Itachi lurched forward in an attempt to snap at him, how loudly Sasuke screamed for him to run. What he did see though, was a pale man step out of the house with a rifle aimed at him.

Naruto felt as if he were watching himself scramble to his feet, pictured himself running at a speed he didn't know he was capable of until he felt himself leap over the property fence, his legs pumping beneath him, and realized this was all real.

Itachi chasing behind him with manic fury, then, the boom of a shot and the searing burn that cut across his shoulder. The pain spread out like a poison through his arm, but he didn't dare stop and like hell was he going to slow down. Even after Itachi's footsteps no longer padded threateningly after him, Naruto kept running until he bounded through the front door of his home, tears streaming down his cheeks as he collapsed at Iruka's feet with heavy sobs.

The man dropped the spoon he'd been stirring dinner with and immediately picked him up and tried to soothe him. "Hey hey, calm down! Naruto, what happened? _What happened_?" He asked frantically.

Naruto didn't speak, just shook his head and cried harder into the other's neck.

Iruka patted his back and looked down, seeing the gash that cut across the kit's shoulder. His eyes widened, "Naruto!"

The blond flinched as Iruka quickly set him down on the couch and began fretting over the wound. "Naruto, what happened to you?!"

The kit sniffed through broken sobs and looked up with wet blue eyes. "Orochimaru and h-his dog," He rubbed his arm under his nose and pressed his face into his father's shirt with a pathetic whisper; "they hunted me."

****

x-X-0-X-x

  
**  
_Next morning..._**

Naruto sat cross legged on the grass of his yard with a blank look on his face, tiny fingers picking at the petals of a white flower he'd plucked out of the ground.

With a heavy sigh, he pulled out the last petal and let it flutter through the air, where a gust of wind blew it away and ruffled through his sunny blond locks.

He bit his lip as he stared at the now bare, green stem in his hand, and flinched when fingers suddenly wound themselves into his hair.

Tilting his head back, he stared up into Kakashi's masked face. The wolf smiled at him and crouched down. "What's with that depressed look? Where's the twenty-four-seven smile?"

Blue eyes peered up at him. "I...I really wanna go see Sasuke...but..." He glanced down, hand subconsciously coming up to his shoulder, which now had a large, white gauze pad wound with tape to press it over the wound.

Kakashi sighed. _'Yes, Iruka told me about that.'_ "But you're afraid of Orochimaru and Itachi."

The kit tilted his head curiously. "Ita...chi?"

Kakashi scratched the kit's head softly, "Sasuke's brother."

Naruto flinched, lowering his eyes and whispering a quiet, "Yes..."

"Are you alright though?"

He nodded once, "Yes, I'm okay, but I'm just scared," He pressed the heel of his palm into his eye to press back the threat of tears. "To go back," he finished.

"So this means," the wolf paused before leaning closer and looking straight into the kit's eyes, "you haven't seen Sasuke since yesterday?"

Naruto shook his head. "I haven't seen him."

"Hmm, I thought you would've at least spoken to him, or him to you." He lowered his hand from Naruto's hair and crouched down beside him. "But if you haven't even seen each other, then you don't know what's happening today, do you?"

Naruto stared at him blankly, obviously having no idea what he was talking about.

Kakashi frowned and hesitantly placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Naruto...Sasuke is leaving today."

The blond's eyes went wide. "Leaving?" He shrugged the hand off his shoulder, brows furrowing. "Leaving to where?"

Kakashi explained carefully, "Hunting season is coming up, and they're all leaving on a trip to train Sasuke on how to be a hunting dog."

Naruto's whole body jerked, the stem in his hand falling to the ground. "Wh - how long is he leaving for? He'll come back soon, right?"

The wolf rubbed the back of his neck while he spoke, "They were supposed to leave when Sasuke was a little older, but because of what happened yesterday, Orochimaru feels that he needs to undergo training as soon as possible."

Naruto's ears flattened, and he shot up from the ground with impossibly wide eyes. "Sasuke's leaving...because of me? Sasuke's leaving because of _me_? It's _my _fault he's going away?!" He exclaimed, pure panic choking his words.

Kakashi put his hand forward cautiously, "No Naruto, of course it's not - HEY!"

The fox had taken off mid-sentence, running wildly towards Sasuke's home despite the overwhelming fear that was thrumming in his chest.

"Naruto _WAIT_!" Kakashi yelled before shooting off the ground and running after him.

Naruto ignored his call, and felt that pressure build up behind his eyes when he caught sight of a truck being loaded in front of Orochimaru's house, Sasuke sitting with a small frown in the back of the topless vehicle.

Panic grew in the blond's chest.

Sasuke couldn't _leave_! He just - he _couldn't_! He promised they would _always _be friends! And they couldn't be friends if Sasuke wasn't _here_!

Naruto had every intention of running up to the other boy and yanking him off the truck so he could drag him to his home and keep him there. And he would've, were it not for the hand that reached out and yanked _him _back into the bushes, clutching him against Kakashi's chest.

"Are you crazy?!" the wolf scolded. "Do you _want _Orochimaru to shoot you again?!"

Tears were streaming down the Naruto's cheeks now. "I don't want Sasuke to leave!"

Kakashi clapped a hand over the kit's mouth. "Shh! Naruto, believe me, I understand how you feel. I like Sasuke too-"

"Ay muv bim!" Naruto muffled through fingers.

"SHHH!" Kakashi pulled him closer and lowered his hand. "What?"

The fox sniffled softly and looked up at his teacher. "I love him," he whispered. "He's my very best friend..."

The wolf's ears came down slowly. _'Oh dear...this could be a problem.'_ No wonder Naruto was so desperate to make Sasuke stay, he was confusing his emotions. What he felt for the dog wasn't just friendship, it was love.

Suddenly, the truck started up with a loud roar and caused both of them to jump with surprise.

Naruto whined loudly and lurched forward, breaking free from Kakashi's hold and stumbling out of the bushes.

He stood utterly still with silent tears as Kakashi climbed out of the brush to stand next to him. Naruto felt his stomach twist as he watched the truck drive further and further away, and he lifted a hand to crush Kakashi's shirt in his fingers with a pained grip.

The wolf looked down at him. "It's a very long trip Naruto, but if it makes you feel any better, they _will _come back."

The boy didn't seem to hear him, didn't even bat an eye.

"But Naruto, I feel I have to warn you," he crouched down, leaning towards an orange ear while Naruto continued to stare at the truck. Kakashi murmured, "Don't be surprised if Sasuke comes back...different."

The kit flinched and cast a sideways glance at him, but a gust of wind that blew past them pulled his eyes back to the truck.

****

x-X-0-X-x

Sasuke jerked to alertness as a swirl of wind suddenly settled around him, carrying with it a very familiar scent. His ears stood erect and his tail began moving of its own accord. He eyed his master and Itachi in the front before carefully twisting his body around and looking back at his home, where he spotted both Naruto and the tall wolf he was friends with.

Sasuke smiled and lifted a hand, waving it back and forth through the air and feeling comfortable warmth spread through him when the kit ran forward a little and waved back.

He sighed and relaxed a bit, watching the image of the blond shrink smaller and smaller, evoking a sting of hurt in his chest.

Sasuke wasn't stupid, what he felt for Naruto went past friendship, this he knew. And being separated from the fox like this made him want to scream and beg and cry and do everything he'd ever been told not to do over someone else.

But still, even though he hated that he had to leave Naruto like this, he couldn't help the feeling of excitement, the rush of anticipation that coursed through his blood.  
Sasuke _wanted _to become a good hunting dog. He _wanted _to be just like Itachi, maybe even better. And if he had to go away in order to accomplish his dream, then he would do it. Swallow the pain and not care how much it hurt.

And this was the thought that stuck in his mind as he turned to smile at his brother in the front seat.


	5. Stained With A Lover's Scent

****

xxxChapter 4: Stained With A Lover's Scentxxx

The first few days that Sasuke was gone, Naruto was a devastated wreck. Everywhere he looked, he saw his friend's face. And the slightest smell would conjure up images of morning mist and light rain after a heavy storm, Sasuke's scent. Every snap of a twig or flutter of a leaf would make him jump with anticipation, hoping that the pup would come out and surprise him, but it always turned out to be some forest animal or the wind.

When it had gotten to the point that he'd stopped going outside and stayed cooped up in the house with a permanent frown, Kakashi had shouted into Iruka's worried face that enough was enough. He'd stormed into the blond's room and pointed a finger at him curled up on the bed, then told him flat out that Naruto was in love with Sasuke.

The kit had raised a brow at his teacher, wondering how telling him something he'd already figured out for himself was supposed to make him feel better. But then Kakashi had said something that hadn't killed the pain but began to erode it away: "Are you honestly going to waste your first feelings of love moping over someone who isn't here?"

Naruto had sat in stunned silence after the question, and then with flattened ears murmured a small, "No…"

"No!" Kakashi had yelled, so loudly and sternly that Naruto had jumped out of fright. Kakashi opened his hands and encouraged Naruto to say it, smiling when the kit's features twisted to determination and he stood up on the bed with clenched fists and screamed "NO!" to the top of his lungs.

"Hell no!" Kakashi pressed.

"HELL NO!" Naruto repeated.

"Don't you _dare _teach my son to curse Kakashi!" Iruka hollered from downstairs.

After that, Naruto's attitude completely turned around. He went outside again, picked up his habit of playing pranks on the mailman, and began harsher training under Kakashi to sharpen his abilities in case of another Itachi incident.

Hours turned to days, days to weeks and weeks to months. And all through it, Naruto grew. And eventually, his sadness towards Sasuke evolved into something else:

Anger.

Sasuke was in the wrong here, not Naruto. It was _Sasuke _who had promised they would always be friends. It was _Sasuke _who'd refused to put up a fight so he could stay here with Naruto. And it was _Sasuke _who didn't stand up to his brother and master when they had tried to _kill _his "friend."

And now, one year later, Naruto stood a very different creature than he'd been when he knew Sasuke – and not just in his personality. No longer was he the tiny, chubby, adorable kit that he used to be, oh no, he'd turned into a bronzed, sculpted sex god. His blond spikes had grown down to his chin and hung loose and free to frame his face. Brilliant blue eyes, though still large, now had slit pupils and fit into his features. The whisker marks on his face were darker, more prominent, and the fur on his ears and tail were now red with tints of gold, tipped with a deep black and no traces of the orange that had once been there. He was tall, lean with a well toned body, clawed fingertips, and appeared around the age of sixteen.

Iruka was actually quite pleased with how his adopted son turned out to be. The only thing that made him cringe now and then was that the blond, as he had feared, _had _developed a bit of a dirty mouth.

"Dad! I'm going out to the forest!"

Iruka nodded, cleaning the dishes, "Alright Naruto."

"Kay – oh! Sorry for fucking with the mailman again!"

Iruka blanched as the front door slammed shut, and he shook his head with a smile.

Make that a _very _dirty mouth.

****

x-X-0-X-x

Naruto walked across his yard with clawed fingers laced behind his head and stopped to stare at Kakashi, who was leaning against a tree with his book. Naruto snorted and tilted his head up, "Reading your porn books again, Kakashi?"

The wolf glanced at him and snapped his book shut. "I prefer 'vividly erotic novels'."

Naruto raised a brow with a skeptical look. "Porn is porn."

"You know, you were much more likeable when you were small."

Naruto grinned, baring pointed fangs, then shrugged, his tail swishing behind him slowly. "So, what are we doing today?"

"Absolutely nothing," Kakashi answered with closed eyes.

Naruto's hands broke apart as he flinched with surprise. "What?"

Kakashi turned his head to the side and waved his hand flippantly. "Today's a special day, don't ruin it with training."

"Why?" Naruto looked up, blue eyes flicking over the sky; nothing looked unordinary to him. "What the hell is so special about today?"

The wolf smirked and plopped on the ground, opening his book again. "You've grown a lot; it's been quite a while, hasn't it?"

"That doesn't answer my question," Naruto mumbled. His brows furrowed after a moment, arms coming to cross against his chest as he glared down at the wolf, "Hey, you're not going to try and molest my dad again, are you, you lazy perv?"

Kakashi chuckled, peering down at his book. "Go enjoy today, Naruto. _That's_ your assignment."

The blond blinked, utterly confused. "Tch...fine, if you say so," he muttered before making his way to the forest with a curious expression, not catching the wolf's smirk smooth out into a smile.

****

x-X-0-X-x

The river was flowing calmly as Naruto sank down onto the grass. He closed his eyes and leaned back; spreading his arms and tilting his head back to bathe in the sun's warmth. He wore nothing but a pair of faded, blue jeans that hung low on his bronzed hips, tan chest exposed to soak in the heated rays.

And he could have lain there for hours, just basking in the warm light, were it not for the shadow that suddenly fell over him and cut it off.

He scrunched up his nose. "Hey, you're blocking the sun," he muttered.

When it didn't move, he cracked open one eye to find a silhouetted figure hovering over him with crossed arms. Their face was in shadows, so Naruto simply furrowed his brows at the intruder, "_Move_," he ordered.

The figure shook its head.

Naruto growled and sat up on his elbows. "I said _move _you damn bastard!"

Suddenly, the other dropped to his knees and shoved his face into Naruto's. "And I said _no_."

Naruto's ears flattened at first sight of the face, his muscles tensing as '_Itachi_' came to the forefront of his mind. But when the voice reached his ears and he took in the other's features, his lips parted and eyes widened in disbelief. "Sasu...ke?" he murmured with awe, more in a reflex than anything else.

Sasuke smiled, "Hey, idiot."

Naruto stared at him with impossibly wide eyes, in such a state of shock that he couldn't even register what it was he was _looking _at.

But slowly, the recognition settled in, like a sunny afternoon that withers the morning fog.

He studied the dog, noting that he'd grown...a lot. His limbs were long, smooth, graceful, and his tail and ears were as dark as his eyes, blacker than a starless night. A pair of black jeans and a white wife-beater clung to his slim, built body. And judging from his size, he was a bit taller than Naruto too.

The blond felt his lips tilt up in a half smile, and for a split moment, any resentment he might have held towards the other completely disappeared. Replacing it was the urge to jump forward and pull him close, burn his scent into his memory and make sure he never left again. He wanted to tell him the feelings he'd discovered for his friend, the way his pulse was racing with excitement from the mere proximity of their bodies. The dreams he'd had of him while he was away, the fantasies he's had to endure as he grew and hormones began raging in reaction to a simple thought of the dog.

Everything. He wanted to tell Sasuke _everything_, and he wanted to do it with _actions_, as his body was begging him to do right now.

But alas, these thoughts only lasted for a moment, until he remembered the fact that Sasuke had _left_. That he'd broken a promise Naruto had held very dear to himself, that his brother and master had attempted to _kill _him.

That Sasuke was a hunting dog and _he _was a fox.

The blond's smile fell away and his face twisted into a scowl. "What the hell are you doing here asshole?"

Sasuke grinned, undeterred by the crude but somehow, expected response. "I see you've picked up some new words while I was away, huh dumbass?"

Naruto snorted and laid back down on the grass, closing his eyes and turning his face away from the other male, lacing his hands under his head, "One of the perks of hanging out with Kakashi, not that it's any of _your _business. Besides, it looks like you got some new ones too; I don't remember being a 'dumbass' when we were little."

"Just because I didn't say it doesn't mean you _weren't_ one."

"Go away, bastard."

Sasuke chuckled and leaned over him, tail swishing through the air. "I may have been taken away from my father, but I did know him."

Naruto's eyes sprang open and he sat up quickly, shoving Sasuke back without actually touching him. "A bastard is also an extremely disliked person, jackass!"

Sasuke kept that irritating smile on his face, and he placed a hand on Naruto's knee. "Are you trying to say you don't like me anymore, Naruto?"

Naruto glanced at the other's hand before glaring at him. "You made a promise that we would always be friends and you _broke _it Sasuke!"

Sasuke tilted his head. "Idiot, who says we aren't friends anymore?"

Naruto growled and fisted the other's shirt in both his hands, yanking him close. "You LEFT me! How can you be so damn _calm _about this?! Do you have any fucking _idea _how I've felt this whole damn year?!"

"You missed me," the dog stated with a cocky expression.

The fox blushed and shoved Sasuke away. "Of course I fucking _missed _you, you fucking bastard! I thought we were _friends_!"

"We still are."

"You cocky _asshole_! You can't just leave for a year and come back expecting everything to be okay again!"

Sasuke's tail began beating heavily at the ground. And he realized that Naruto's flurry of emotions was making him excited. He felt need growing, the urge to lurch towards the blond and pin him to the ground, to ravish this deliciously new body of his and ram into him until the fox screamed for him to stop. His hormones were pressing temptation upon him and he fought for control, only to discover that he'd lost the fight already when he looked down into the blue eyes of a glaring blond, who he had pinned to the earth.

Sasuke calmed his breathing and slowly leaned down into the other's personal space, staring at him and noting the blush that adorned his whiskered face. He chuckled softly and slipped out his tongue, leisurely running it up the blonde's cheek. "I missed you too," he whispered.

And just like that, all the anger Naruto had built up over the year came crumbling down. He searched the dog's face thoroughly, but found no sign of trickery.

Sasuke was being honest. He _had _missed him...but then...

He licked his lips, staring up at the other. "Why didn't you try to stay?"

Sasuke tilted his head and brushed his cheek along the Naruto's, smirked against his ear. "Hey, Naruto..."

The warm breath that swam across sensitive flesh sent a shudder through him, and Sasuke laughed. "I spy someone wet."

Naruto's eyes widened, but before he could respond, fingers wrapped themselves around his ankles, "Sasuke NO!"

Too late.

With amazing strength, Sasuke yanked the blond off the ground by his ankles and tossed him into the river with a huge splash. He stood on the bank, chuckling softly, and waited for the fox to come back up, raising a brow after a few moments when he failed to resurface. Sasuke cautiously stepped forward and crouched down, "Naruto?" he called.

When the fox didn't respond, he quickly placed his hands on the ground and leaned forward to peer into the water with growing panic, "Naruto?!"

Suddenly, a head of blond popped out of the river and squirted water into his pale face, a grinning fox behind the assault. "You didn't actually think you were going to get away with that, did you?" he asked before harshly jerking the other into the water with him by his shirt.

When Sasuke came up, he sputtered for a moment before grinning and winding an arm around Naruto's waist, pressing him close and breathing into his mouth, "Who would've thought you'd turn into such a cruel little demon?"

Naruto smirked and wrapped his fingers around the other's neck, tilting his own head to the side, "Like you can talk, tossing people into water without warning."

Sasuke dug his fingers into taut flesh, a throbbing coming to life in the pit of his stomach. "It's not my fault you're a clueless moron."

"Jackass," Naruto murmured, pressing closer.

"Idiot," Sasuke whispered back, brushing their lips.

"Bastard," Naruto mouthed silently.

Sasuke closed the little distance between them, holding the blond's mouth in a deep kiss.

Naruto mewled softly, slipped his eyes shut and pulled the other closer by his neck with a clawed hand, arched against him in the water.

There was no awkwardness in this. The fact that they had always been thinking about each other during their separation, in a way, it made it as if they had never parted in the first place. Hands trailed and tongues slid as if this moment were something they'd both been waiting patiently to reach. Waiting far too long.

Sasuke groaned and bit down softly, eliciting a gasp from the other before he pulled back. And the words slipped out of their own accord, "I love you," he murmured, ears flattening against his head, giving him a more vulnerable look than Naruto was comfortable seeing.

Naruto stared at him with half-lidded blue eyes, lips slowly quirking into a smile. "I love you too."

A truth they'd both known for quite a while.

****

x-X-0-X-x

Naruto opened the front door to his home grinning like an idiot, and even the unexpected sight of Kakashi and Iruka eating each other's faces on the couch didn't cause it to falter.

He cleared his throat louder than necessary, causing both males on the sofa to jump with surprise and Iruka's face to flush deep red. He promptly shoved Kakashi onto the floor and innocently placed his hands on his lap, ignoring the frowning wolf on the ground, "Naruto! I – uh – we didn't – um – back so soon?"

"So soon?" the blond blinked. "It's nine p.m, I've been gone for hours."

Kakashi stood up with a smirk, his tail swishing behind him. "That leads me to believe things went well with him..._extremely _well."

Naruto blushed while Iruka tilted his head. "Well? Well with who?"

Kakashi raised his head. "Why, with Sasuke of course."

Brown eyes widened at this news. "Sasuke's back?" He glanced at his son, "You were with him this whole time, Naruto?"

Naruto's blush deepened as his head turned slightly to the side. "Well...no, but-"

"Lose our virginity, did we Naruto?" Kakashi chimed.

Iruka gaped at the fox. "Sasuke took your virginity?!"

Naruto's ears flattened quickly, "No no! Kakashi you fucking pervert, shut up!"

The wolf pointed at Naruto. "What's that dark spot on your neck, Naruto?"

Iruka shot up from the couch. "Is that a _love _bite? Just how long has Sasuke been back here?!"

Naruto's hand flew up to cover the mark, his blush going impossibly deep. "He came back today, alright? But he had to leave after a little while because of Orochimaru. I'm meeting him later, when they're asleep."

Kakashi nodded, "To lose your virginity."

"This has nothing to do with my virginity!"

The wolf shrugged, "I think it's sweet that you've been saving yourself for Sasuke."

Naruto stomped a foot childishly. "I have not been _saving _myself for him!"

"That's the only name I've heard you moan while you're sleeping."

Both animals in the room snapped their attention to Iruka, who flushed with wide eyes. "Did I say that out loud?"

Kakashi raised a brow and smiled at the fox. "_Moaning _his name?"

"Stop it!" Naruto yelled, "Nothing happened, okay? We missed each other, and we're just meeting to catch up on stuff."

"Catch up on missed games of hide and seek…with your tongues."

"Catching up, that's ALL," Naruto huffed before storming past the wolf.

Iruka abruptly grabbed his arm. "Naruto, on a serious note...Is Sasuke any different from how he used to be?"

Naruto snorted. "He's a lot cockier, if that's what you mean."

The hold on his arm tightened. "Listen, it's good that you two seemed to have kept your affection for each other in tact, but keep in mind that Sasuke is a hunting dog – a _trained _one now. Please, I know it's not your strong suit, but _please _be cautious Naruto."

A protest rested on the tip of the blond's tongue, ready to defend Sasuke and affirm that he was nothing like his brother or master. But the look of pure concern and worry etched in the man's face hammered the words down to a small, "Okay."

Iruka nodded, releasing his arm. "And," his gaze flicked over Naruto's exposed chest, "put on a shirt before you leave."

Naruto cocked his head. "Why?"

Kakashi smirked, "Yeah, why? Sasuke's just going to end up ripping it off anyway."

The fox snapped at him, "One more fucking word out of you and I'm going to give you a _reason _to cover up your face!"

****

x-X-0-X-x

Sasuke cracked open one eye to find his brother asleep inside the other barrel.

He bit his lip and slowly rose from the ground, stretching his limbs and eyeing the dog once more before taking quiet steps towards the forest.

His ears were flat as he carefully tip-toed around leaves and sticks so as not to disturb Itachi's sensitive hearing, though it had grown a bit strained due to aging over the year.

When he felt he was far enough, he walked normally, until he reached the hill that led down to the river they had met at earlier. He saw Naruto's back, the front of him staring down at the water.

Sasuke smirked and got down on all fours, crawling down the steep land with deathly silence towards the boy. His back arched and his steps were still as he neared him.

Naruto smiled, "Hey bastard."

The dog jumped with surprise, then frowned. He made an annoyed sound and scooted up next to the fox. "There was _no _way you could've heard me."

Naruto chuckled and raised a finger to tap his nose. "You're not the only one with a good nose around here. I know your scent by heart."

Sasuke cocked his head. "Oh? And you couldn't tell it was me earlier?"

Naruto looked at him, bringing his knees up to his chest and then leaning back on his palms. "After you left, everything smelled like you to me, so I learned to ignore it." He flinched when Sasuke rubbed his nose against his ear, making it twitch.

"Do you _like _the way I smell?"

The fox blushed, his ears flattening. "You don't smell _bad_." He wouldn't dare admit that he was addicted to Sasuke's scent.

"I like the way _you _smell," Sasuke murmured, burying his face into blond locks and inhaling deeply he mumbled, "I'd like it even better if you smelt like _me_."

Naruto stiffened at the blatant comment, then turned to Sasuke with narrowed eyes. "You're a complete pervert," he accused.

Sasuke chuckled and fisted the other's black shirt. "What's with this? You didn't have this on earlier."

Kakashi's comment on Sasuke ripping his shirt surfaced into Naruto's mind, and he pried the other's fingers off, even though certain parts of him yearned for the wolf to be right. "My dad told me to put it on before I came out here."

Sasuke smirked. "Well _I'm_ telling you I think you looked better without it."

Naruto's lips twitched and he leaned forward, ears alert. "And just what do you plan to do about that, _Sasuke_?"

Sasuke's tail began to beat at the ground.

Ever since he'd laid eyes on Naruto when they were small, he'd immediately developed a deep, innocent affection for the blond. Wanted to be near him, always. And now that he was older, his urges had changed from innocent to predatory, hormone driven. He loved Naruto, yes, but he also felt the need to claim him, mark him, stain his skin with the warning for anyone who comes close to back the fuck off.

And he'd been holding back this urge from the minute he saw the fox laying here in all his seductive beauty this afternoon. But the words that Naruto just spoke sparked a flame in the very core of his being, because that sure as hell sounded like an invitation if Sasuke had ever heard one.

He grabbed the blond's arm and yanked him close, pouring hot words into his mouth, "Don't dangle something I want in front of me and then snatch it away. I've waited too long for it."

Naruto pressed forward, near enough so the only thing they could focus on was each other, "And you think I haven't?" he whispered.

Those words drew a shaky breath out of Sasuke before he crushed their lips in a heated kiss.

Naruto's eyes widened as he reeled back from the force of contact, catching himself with his free arm and returning the kiss with half-lidded eyes.

Sasuke opened his mouth and traced the tip of his tongue along the seam of Naruto's lips, making a pleased noise when the blond responded without hesitation. He grabbed Naruto's other arm and pulled it out from under him, forcing him back to lay on the earth with a loud 'thump' while trailing his tongue along the roof of his mouth.

Sasuke's blood was boiling within him, hormones raging out of control. If by some cruel turn of events, Naruto wanted to stop, then unfortunately for him, he was shit out of luck. All this pent up energy had to go somewhere, and the moment Naruto had opened that window of opportunity, he had sealed his fate. But luckily, Naruto showed no signs of even wanting to slow down, if the clawed fingers that threaded through Sasuke's hair and jerked him closer were any indication.

Sasuke hissed with a mixture of pain and excitement as his tongue slid along one of Naruto's fangs, cutting it lightly. He growled and tugged at the blond's shirt, but Naruto grabbed his hand quickly, "Don't," he murmured through kisses and breaths, "Don't – rip it."

Sasuke paused for a moment, a smile stretching his lips when the fox arched against him in a low whine. He hooked his fingers under the hem of the black garment, "You're such an idiot," he muttered playfully before lifting the shirt off and dropping it to the floor.

Naruto snorted and yanked the other back down by the back of his neck, shoving his tongue into his mouth and moaning softly. He brought his legs up so Sasuke could settle himself between them, grabbing two fistfuls of the dog's white undershirt and harshly pulling it against him.

Sasuke bit down on the wet muscle drawing paths along teeth and sucked furiously, causing Naruto to yelp and whine, loosening his grip on the shirt. Sasuke removed it as well, tossed it away and lowered himself until they were chest to chest.

Naruto gasped and buried his fingers in a black mass of hair when Sasuke lay flush against him, tightening his hold when the dog managed to take off both their pants, leaving them without a trace of clothes. "Sasuke," he panted, overwhelmed with this new feeling of skin-on-skin contact and already aroused from the sensation of it.

Sasuke drank up the sound. Every gasp, every pant, every _word _Naruto uttered made him painfully hard. Instinct was taking over, and he rocked his body once against the fox beneath him.

Naruto's breath hitched as Sasuke ground down against him, his arms reflexively curling under Sasuke's and hooking onto his shoulders, hips thrusting upward of their own accord and ears flattened against his head.

Sweat began dripping down their bodies as they rolled against one another, both gasping when their erect members hooked and sent pleasurable shivers coursing through their veins.

Naruto was panting heavily, gyrating his hips against the dog above him. He dug his claws into pale shoulders and jerked Sasuke closer, his ear to a hot open mouth. "Sasuke," he murmured, "it feels so _good_."

Sasuke shuddered at the erotic tone of that confession and wrapped his fingers around the blond's shoulders, sliding his tongue up a tan cheek before dipping it between his lips. He groaned, thrust with heavy force against the other male and pulled back slightly, staring into azure eyes glazed over with heat and passion. Naruto's whole face was flushed a bright red, sweat trickling down his temple and mouth working around desperate intakes of air. This was all new to him, Sasuke realized, and he wouldn't be surprised if the fox came before they even reached the actual sex.

Sasuke, on the other hand, was actually a bit experienced with sex. He had gone into heat several times while he was away, and during that time he'd usually conjured up fantasies about Naruto. But since the fox was nowhere near him, he'd had to make do with whatever animal he was closest to when the urge became too strong to resist.

The dog smirked and slowly began to descend the body beneath him, until a harsh tug at his hair and a firm "No" stopped him. He looked up, catching Naruto gazing down at him, "Don't go," the blond half-ordered, half-whined.

Sasuke chuckled slightly and pulled the hand out of his hair, forcing it to the ground and continuing on his path until he reached Naruto's swollen dick. He wasted no time in dragging his tongue from base to tip and wrapping his lips around the head, then shot down, deep throated.

Naruto cried out and lost his fingers in dark hair, digging his nails into the other's scalp as his eyes went wide. A loud moan ripped from his throat when Sasuke came up slowly and flattened his tongue along the underside of his cock, then reached up to pinch a brown nipple between his fingers, humming quietly. The vibrations rocked Naruto's body from head to toe, and before he could utter another sound, he felt his seed erupt into Sasuke's wet cavern, and the reflexive swallow that constricted his spent member.

His entire body went limp, numb, fingers sluggishly falling away from the forest of black ink.

Sasuke grinned and released his hold on Naruto's manhood, swiping a thumb along the side of his mouth to catch some cum that had seeped out. He wiped the coated digit on Naruto's bottom lip and leaned down to the panting blond, covering his mouth with his own. Sasuke's tongue swiped at the substance and then shoved itself into Naruto's mouth, trailing over the other's tongue before he pulled back. "Can you taste yourself on me?" he whispered while wrapping a hand around Naruto's limp organ.

That sentence sent blood rushing straight back down the fox's loins, and he felt Sasuke begin to stroke him back to life. With the hot murmurs in his ear, those talented fingers wrapped around him, and the fact that it was _Sasuke _touching him like this, it wasn't long before Naruto was hard again, panting breathes and foggy blue eyes contorting his features.

Sasuke smiled. "C'mere," he ordered before hauling the fox up and laying back down on the grass, having the blond straddle him.

For a while, he did nothing but stare as Naruto placed his palms against a hard chest, his erection brushing teasingly at the fox's backside. He watched Naruto lean forward a bit, the way his mouth hung agape in constant pants for breath, the sweat dripping down his face, red ears flat against his blonde head and tan chest heaving with forced intakes of air.

He was so fucking beautiful, and for a split moment, Sasuke refused to believe he had actually left this creature behind to become a hunting dog.

But none of that would matter now, because right now, Sasuke was going to claim this fox as his. Only his.

He slipped three fingers into the other's open mouth, "_Suck_."

Naruto blinked before closing his lips around the digits and wrapping a hand around Sasuke's wrist, pulling them out and then slowly sliding them back in, rolling his tongue to coat them in his saliva.

Sasuke groaned and thrust upward once, taking the blond's erection back into his hand and stroking it again.

Naruto gasped and hunched forward, whining and moaning around the fingers while bucking into the other's ministrations.

Sasuke smirked and swirled his thumb along the head of the penis, pre-cum seeping out.

Naruto made a loud, pleasure drenched sound as his tail slowly swished back and forth behind him, every one of his senses heightened and alert. A soft, "_Ah_" spilled from his lips, opening his mouth and allowing the fingers out, hot pants swimming around them and a string of saliva that gleamed in the moonlight.

Sasuke squeezed the member in his hand, sending a shudder through the other's body. "Get up a bit," he murmured.

Naruto looked at him through heavy lidded eyes, his ears coming up in curiosity as he raised himself on his knees, only to flatten again when Sasuke lowered his hand and slid both fingers through a tight ring of muscles.

"Uhn!" Naruto yelped, gripping Sasuke's shoulders and leaning forward heavy as stone. He gasped when Sasuke began scissoring the digits, his own claws scraping at pale shoulders, leaving red marks. It hurt so much, but the thought of what they were preparing him for made it so fucking incredible at the same time.

Naruto took his bottom lip between his teeth and ground down on the invading fingers, "Sas...ah..."

Sasuke smiled and lifted the hand that was wrapped around Naruto's erection to the back of his neck, pulling him down half way. "I know," he whispered, "you have to relax."

Naruto whined and tried to relax his muscles as best he could, moaning after a few moments when the pain began to give way to pleasure.

Sasuke bucked once and slipped in the last finger, flinching when Naruto suddenly yelled and pressed down hard, drawing a bit of blood with his nails and making Sasuke cringe, "God Sasuke! Ahn – again! Do it again!"

Sasuke lifted a brow and curled his fingers inward, brushing them against something that caused Naruto to jump and release a guttural moan.

_'Well well'_ he mused, repeatedly pressing against the bundle of nerves and earning pleasured reactions from it that made his member pulse with excitement. Naruto's ability to speak seemed to have lost him, as all he released were moans and cries while he bounced up and down on the fingers, desperately fucking himself on them.

The mere sight of it made Sasuke unbearably hard, and he removed the digits, only to have Naruto whine before growling and glaring at him. "Put them back!"

Sasuke shook his head, catching the other's hand when it tried to descend to finish the job. The dog smirked, "I'll make you feel even _better_," he promised softly, taking his member and pressing the tip against Naruto's entrance. Obsidian eyes rose to him, "Put it in."

A deep blush flooded Naruto's cheeks, and he looked down at the engorged organ, then back at Sasuke, who was waiting with a cocky smirk.

The fox set his jaw. Determined not to let the bastard intimidate him, he wrapped a hand around the erection, holding it steady as he wriggled down on it with half-lidded eyes, letting out hiss of discomfort. His muscles reflexively gripped at the head, causing Sasuke to toss his head back with a groan and bend his legs while his toes curled into the grass.

Naruto moaned softly, placing a hand behind him to grip one of Sasuke's knees for support as he fully sheathed the other within him, bottom lip caught between his teeth.

Sasuke released a deep growl and gripped bronzed hips beneath his fingers, thrusting up harshly and evoking a cry from the fox.

Naruto's ears were completely flat against his head as Sasuke bucked in and out of him, his own member bobbing enticingly with the movements. Then that spot inside of him was touched and he groaned loudly, body humming as ecstasy eradicated pain.

He leaned down, sliding his palms against the earth until he was on his elbows, until their noses touched and they were panting into each other's mouths, bodies moving in sensual unison. With each upward thrust Sasuke gave, Naruto pushed back to meet it, erection sliding between them.

Sasuke moaned as Naruto threaded fingers through his hair, stroking his flattened ears and groaning softly.

"Damn it, Sasuke," the blond growled, his fingers tightening painfully, "_love _me, fuck me like you mean it!" he demanded, voice laced with an unrestrained yearning.

Sasuke tossed his head to the side and began thrusting erratically, silencing a cry from the other male by crushing their lips together.

Naruto whined and jerked his head away, breaking the kiss and burying his face in a pale neck as his body shot up with each thrust.

Their chests slid against each other, sweat slicked and sticky with Naruto's seed.

The blond's pants quickened, his hands tugged roughly at the other's hair and his body tightened with the promise of climax. "Hah-ah! Sas...mhn!"

Sasuke arched and fisted the fox's hair in a firm grip, turned his head and growled in his ear, "_Scream _it."

Naruto shook his head, mind foggy before crying out a loud, "_Sasuke_!" that blended with the night.

Sasuke hissed as Naruto abruptly bit down on his neck to hold in another cry, spilling his load all over their stomachs and clenching his muscles around the member within him.

Sasuke yelped and released himself inside the fox with an audible groan.

They slumped against each other in exhaustion, laboring for breath.

Sasuke gasped heavily and collected his strength, moving a hand behind him he shakily pushed himself up, his other arm wrapping around Naruto. He pulled him close and brushed his lips against a red ear, making it twitch. "I love you," he murmured in a bare whisper.

Naruto felt a small smile stretch his features, and he nuzzled his face into a pale neck, "I love you too," ghosting over the skin there.

Their bodies melded perfectly, so much so that it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began. And nobody would be able to tell the difference between a fox and a dog, not while they were stained with a lover's scent.


	6. Torn

****

xxxChapter 5: Tornxxx

Naruto glanced up from his cereal as Kakashi sat down in the seat opposite of him. He stared at the wolf for a brief moment before murmuring a "Morning" and scooping up another spoonful to shove into his mouth.

Kakashi smiled and crossed his arms, leaning forward. "So, Naruto, how are you?"

Naruto paused at the question, raising a brow. "I'm...fine," he responded slowly.

The previous night flashed quickly across his mind, causing his lips to tilt upward as he looked back at his food. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You're not," Kakashi tilted his head, "_sore_?"

Naruto blanched, cereal getting caught in his throat and making him choke. His eyes were wide as he began punching his stomach repeatedly and coughed up the food.

Panting heavily, Naruto slammed a hand on the table, causing the bowl to jump and some milk to splash over its edge. "And just – and just why would I be SORE?!" he choked out.

Kakashi shrugged. "It's normal to be a bit sore after the first time."

A deep blush flooded Naruto's cheeks. "There was no 'first time'!"

"C'mon Naruto, you came back practically _bathed _in his scent, and you're going to try and tell me nothing happened?"

Naruto growled, "How would you know what I smelt like? You weren't even here when I came back!"

"But I was," the wolf smirked, "Perhaps not in _this _room, but I was certainly here when you came back."

Naruto's blush deepened and he raised his palms in mock surrender. "You can just stop right there, I don't even want to know."

Kakashi chuckled throatily. "So, are you alright?"

Naruto threw his mentor a light glare before looking off to the side. "I was sore, for a little while. But I get over pain pretty quick, so after I slept I was fine." An abrupt thought struck him, "Hey..." his gaze jerked to the wolf angrily, "Hey how come you didn't think I was top?!"

Kakashi scoffed. "You? Top?"

Naruto's fists clenched, fangs bared. "Hey! I could be top!"

"Maybe the top of a pillow."

"HEY!"

"Look Naruto, predator always trumps prey in sex. Sasuke's a dog; his sole instinct was to mark you. He would've killed you before letting you claim him first."

Naruto suddenly flinched, his ears flattening. "...Sasuke would never hurt me, no matter what."

Kakashi's face softened, realizing he'd struck a nerve. "Don't take it to heart, Naruto, I'm sure Sasuke does indeed care for you." He tipped his chair back and brought his legs up to cross them on the table, his feet right by Naruto's bowl as he laced his fingers behind his head. "So," he said, "are you going to see each other today?"

Naruto shook his head. "No, we're not supposed to. But I plan to go see him later, at night."

A grey ear flicked twice. "Are you sure that's such a great idea? With Orochimaru and Itachi being there?"

The blond snorted, glancing at Kakashi's feet beside his bowl and moving his meal away from them. "I'm just going to see him, not do anything. Besides, I can outfox that stupid dog and that pale freak any day."

Kakashi leaned back further with a smile. "Cockiness killed the fox, Naruto."

Naruto smirked, standing up from the table. "And hate for the wolf brought it back."

****

x-X-0-X-x

Itachi scowled lightly as he leaned against his barrel, fingering a piece of meat in his hand.

Orochimaru smiled and looked away from Itachi, tossing another – much larger piece of meat – to Sasuke, who caught it with ease before tearing at it with his teeth.

The pale man smirked. "You were magnificent during the hunt Sasuke, you earned your meal. Well done." He glanced at Itachi with indifference before turning and going back inside.

The older dog sneered and moved to toss the poor excuse for food in his fingers, but then his stomach growled. The faintest of blushes rose to his cheeks, and he sighed softly before taking a bite.

The sound didn't go unnoticed, as Sasuke looked up at his brother with a small smile. "Hungry?" he chimed.

Itachi didn't even look at him. "You'd be wise to hold your tongue, baby brother. Remember who helped you hone those skills of yours in the first place."

Sasuke chuckled softly. "Yes, I haven't forgotten." He held up his meant in offering, "You can have mine if you like."

Itachi shoved the last bit of food into his mouth and swallowed, closing his eyes, his ears erect and unresponsive. "There you go, being soft again. Hunting isn't only in the presence of prey, Sasuke."

Sasuke snorted a laugh, knowing that was his brother's way of saying, "Fuck you, I can get my own food." He also finished his meal, and even went as far as to lick the remnants off his fingers, just to be smug.

Itachi opened his eyes at the slurping noises and growled low in his throat before lying down and turning away from the other male.

Sasuke's lips stretched out into a smirk and he crawled over to his brother, moving one arm over him and pressing his chest against the elder's shoulder, tail flitting merrily. "Hey Itachi, let's tussle. We haven't tussled in a long time."

Itachi made an annoyed sound and looked up at his brother, "How very _unlike _you to ask for something like that."

"C'mon," Sasuke coaxed.

Itachi closed his eyes. "No."

"You afraid of me?" Sasuke teased.

"Now you know that's not the case."

Sasuke laughed quietly and bent down, taking his brother's ear between his teeth and tugging at it, taunting him.

At first, Itachi didn't react, simply growled again in annoyance. But a particularly rough yank jerked him to widening his eyes and gritting his teeth, "_Off _Sasuke!"

Sasuke didn't listen but tugged harder, pulled at his brother's shoulder with his hand, his lips tilted in a grin.

Itachi snorted, resemblance of a laugh, and his mouth made the smallest quirk. He held up a palm and roughly shoved Sasuke off while mumbling, "Stupid overgrown pup," under his breath.

Sasuke chuckled and went back for more, but Itachi kept his hand up. "Honestly Sasuke, that's enough, I'm tired."

Sasuke scrunched up his nose. "You barely moved," he drawled.

Itachi actually smiled slightly and flipped his hand, flicking it twice in a sign that this conversation was over.

Sasuke frowned for a moment before smiling as well and shrugging his shoulders. "Fine," he answered and crawled back to his barrel.

He stared at his brother until he was sure the other had drifted off to sleep. Then his gaze rose to the setting sky, dusted with all manners of pinks and orange and he sighed softly.

Sasuke lay down in his barrel and rested his head in the crook of his arm, lids meeting to close out the bright sky in favor of comforting darkness.

****

x-X-0-X-x

With wide blue eyes lighted by the moon, Naruto slipped through the fence that separated Orochimaru's and Iruka's property.

He smiled at seeing Sasuke asleep in his barrel and scanned the area before crawling into a bush and whispering a firm, "_Sasuke_."

The dog didn't move, causing Naruto to frown and lean forward a bit. "Psst! _Sasuke_!"

This time, Sasuke groaned, blearily opening his eyes and blinking a few times before glancing at the bushes that seemed to be whispering his name. Obsidian orbs widened when he caught sight of Naruto's head poking out from them. He got on all fours and eyed the barrel beside him before creeping over to the bush with a frown, staring the blond in the face. "What are you doing here?"

Naruto's brow crumpled, but he leaned forward until their lips touched. "I came to see you," he whispered.

Sasuke couldn't hold the sigh that escaped his lips, and he had to pause to calm his racing heart and flaring hormones that were coming to life. "You shouldn't be here," he murmured, "Itachi is right there, sleeping in his barrel-"

"_Sleeping_," Naruto emphasized. "Not watching."

"Still...if he wakes up..." Sasuke bit his lip slightly, eyes flicking away then back to Naruto, unsure. "You need to go, now Naruto."

Naruto tilted his head with a mischievous gleam in his eye, coaxing the other, and Sasuke exhaled heavy words into his mouth. "You know I love to see you, but it's not safe for you here. I don't know if I can protect you Naruto."

"Who needs protection?" Naruto snapped.

"_Naruto_," Sasuke pressed.

The blond frowned in defeat for a moment, but then smiled slightly. "Just one kiss, then I'll go."

Sasuke cocked his head, eyes settling on Naruto's full lips while his own quirked upward. "I don't know if that's such a good idea."

But Naruto was already leaning in, until there was no space between them.

He didn't know what it was about Sasuke that was so damn good, so wonderfully intoxicating. It was just...everything. The way he tasted, the way he spoke, the color and feel of his skin. He'd been back for less than three days and Naruto still felt like Sasuke had always been there.

He pressed hard, ears flattening, and whined with satisfaction when Sasuke grabbed at his arm and yanked him out of the bushes to have their bodies touching.

Sasuke pushed the fox back through the force of the kiss and pulled him closer with pale fingers wrapped around his shoulders. He closed his eyes and exhaled heavily, forcing his tongue through those luscious lips and gliding it along another.

Naruto moaned softly before pulling back, a strand of saliva keeping them connected before falling apart and dripping down their chins.

The fox moved forward and slipped his tongue out, sliding it up the dog's chin to clean the residue. He smiled at the lips that brushed his cheek and the hand that pressed at the small of his back to pull him closer.

Sasuke groaned, realizing that this, wonderful as it was, had to end before things became noticeable to his family. He already felt himself growing hard from simply having this kind of contact with the blond, the need to push him down to the grass and take him again building. He raised an arm to pry the fox off, but before he got the chance, Naruto was suddenly ripped away from him with a loud yelp.

Sasuke was disoriented, and the light pleasure high didn't allow him to focus on the blurry pile of colors before him.

But when he was able to grasp what he was staring at, he felt his heart skip a beat.

Itachi, with fangs bared and a series of growls humming from his throat, had Naruto pinned to the ground with a clawed hand wrapped around his neck.

"Naruto!" Sasuke yelled, immediately jumping to the blond's side, clutching his brother's arm and trying to pull it away from the Naruto's throat. He tried to shove Itachi, but the dog held steady, glaring at the fox beneath him.

Suddenly, the screen door swung open, Orochimaru stepping out with a rifle in his hand. His eyes widened at the scene. "It's that damn fox!"

Itachi, distracted by his master's voice, turned his head and loosened his grip. Naruto used this opportunity to swipe his claws across the dog's cheek, eliciting a loud cry and leaving behind three red gashes. He shoved the other off of him and scrambled to his feet, then began running towards the forest in a panicked frenzy, not missing the sense of déjà vu.

A shot rang out, barely skimming his leg as he turned direction to a boxed pile of logs and dropped to the floor to squeeze his way beneath them.

Naruto was breathing erratically along with his heartbeat as he twisted his body to peer through the slight opening under the logs.

A pair of feet caused him to shrink back into the shadows, and he sighed with relief when they passed by him.

Naruto stuck his head out partially, ears alert, and flinched when Sasuke's face suddenly appeared in front of him.

The fox stared at him with a parted mouth, forming words in his throat but the glare he was being pinned with left him unable to speak.

Sasuke began growling softly, lifting his arm and reaching towards the blond but stopping abruptly in mid-air. He held the other's gaze.

"SASUKE!"

Sasuke flinched at his master's call, whatever trance he'd been in vanishing as his features fell to sympathy. The hand that was undecided in the air lowered to lightly touch the fox's wrist. He spoke softly, "Naruto...I can't watch you get killed – I care about you too much. I'm letting you go, but you need to hurry.

Naruto seemed confused. Had it really been that difficult a decision for Sasuke to make? Whether or not to let Naruto get away? Why would he have to even _think _about that kind of choice?

His eyes widened as Sasuke stood up and tilted his head back, releasing a long, deep howl that made the blond's red ears flatten deeply against his head. But not because the sound was broken and high like when they were little, but because it was melodic, ominous and frightening.

And Naruto realized, for the first time, that everyone was right. The Sasuke he used to know was gone, replaced with this extremely skilled, extremely _dangerous _hunting dog.

This howl unnerved Naruto, he no longer felt certain of the fact that Sasuke would not harm him.

Despite how much they loved each other, instinct was a difficult thing to push back and ignore. Sasuke was a predator, Naruto was prey. And Sasuke's loyalties, no matter how his emotions were placed, lied with his brother and master, those he'd been with from birth.

All this was proven in the words he'd just spoken, which settled in Naruto's stomach like a heavy stone:

_"I can't watch you get killed..."_

If Sasuke truly cared about him, and loved him as he claimed he did, wouldn't he have said "I won't _let _you be killed?"

The sound of Sasuke's feet running in an opposite direction pierced through his reverie. And when Naruto saw Orochimaru follow him, he quickly wriggled his way from beneath the logs and dashed into the forest.

Slivers of moonlight speared the treetops as Naruto ran with a speeding pulse in his ears. Branches that stuck out on his path caught and tore at the skin of his arms, dead leaves crunching beneath his footsteps.

Naruto's eyes stung with the threat of tears as he slowed to a stop, realizing he had no clue where he was running to. He bent over, resting his hands on his knees as he labored for breath and looked around himself.

There was a steep hill a few feet away from him, and a quick flash of him and Sasuke as kit and pup rolling down that hill went across his mind. He swallowed and licked his lips, standing upright.

"At least I know where I am," he mumbled to himself.

He couldn't go back home, that was the first place they'd look for him, and he wouldn't risk putting Iruka in danger when two...maybe even three men were hunting him.

Blue eyes flitted quickly this way and that, searching for anyplace to run or hide – like they prey he was. And his gaze landed on the waterfall, rising up until he was staring at the cascading top, a strip of land on either side.

He hesitated at the thought; he had never been up there before, for fear of falling into the river and over the falls.

His brows furrowed with determination. "All the reason they wouldn't look for me there," he muttered, before hurriedly running forward and beginning to stumble up the slanted dirt land that lead up to the top of the waterfall.

Naruto hauled himself up while digging his claws in the earth, until he pushed once more and landed on flat surface, the rushing water stretched before him.

His breathing was heavy and he shook his head, pushing himself off the ground with his palms.

But before he even got the chance to stand, he had to let out a loud cry when something abruptly tackled him and took him sliding across the dirt to the edge of the bank.

Naruto's head hung over the edge, spikes of golden hair dipping into the water. And for the second time that night, he felt fingers curl themselves around his neck, and he stared up into Itachi's deathly red eyes.

The river was flowing violently in front of them, one slip and both of them would be swept away, meeting their end at the waterfall that dropped into the calmer river below.

Naruto reached up and wrapped a hand around the other's wrist, coughing slightly.

The dog stared down at him, red eyes flicking over his face, studying him. "...You're very beautiful," Itachi commented off-handedly. "I can see why my brother would want to claim you for himself."

Despite the situation, Naruto felt heat spread out to his cheeks. "Sasuke-" he forced out, "Sasuke told-"

"No, he didn't have to. He was _sweating _your scent when he came back and nothing is more distinct than the smell of sex." Itachi pushed Naruto's head further into the rushing river, drenching his hair, and caught the hand that came up to take another swipe at his face.

Itachi leaned down until he was nose to nose with the other boy, placing further pressure on his throat so he was gasping now. And Naruto couldn't help but let his gaze settle on the red gashes that now tainted the dog's pale skin. The wound was still wet, and two drops of blood trickled down to his chin, teetering for a moment until they dripped onto Naruto's cheek.

Itachi tilted his head, long black hair brushing the other's face. "This isn't anything personal," he whispered. "You and my brother could run and fuck, leave and become mates, that really does not concern me. But lately, Sasuke's exceeding and growing skills has put me in his shadow, leaving him with far better and privileged treatment from our master. And I'm afraid killing you is the only way I can regain my status." He smirked. "But then again, you have always been a bit of a slippery prey. Finally killing you would also bring me a sense of satisfaction."

Naruto coughed again, feeling his stomach twist with each word the dog murmured, at the mock pity he spoke them with.

There was no way Naruto was going to allow himself to be killed. Not now and _not _by Itachi's hands. So when he felt teeth scrape dangerously at the pulse of his throat, Naruto drove his knee up into Itachi's stomach with surprising strength, successfully sending the other up and over to fly into the river.

Unfortunately, the hold on his neck and wrist didn't break, nor had he really expected to. So he was pulled into the water as well.

If Naruto had no other choice but to die, then he was taking Itachi with him.

When they re-surfaced, Naruto felt the other grab at his wrist again and he immediately lurched to sink his teeth into the dog's hand, causing him to let go with a yelp.

He kicked at him beneath the water and twisted his head to the side, ears flattening and eyes growing wide when he saw they were headed straight towards the waterfall.

Though apparently, Naruto had _something _right in his life because he also saw a branch sticking out over the river – just low enough for him to grab onto.

Naruto swam with the current and reached up, grabbing hold of the wood with a quick hand. He sputtered as water filled his mouth and tried pulling himself onto dry land, but something caught at his hair and tugged harshly, tipping his head to see a more than irritated Itachi.

The dog growled and pulled harder, causing Naruto to yelp and his hand to slide against the branch, wood rubbing his palm raw.

Naruto gasped, taking in a mouthful of water and coughing it back up. He turned slightly and pushed against the current to press his foot against the dog's stomach. He bared his fangs, "Let" braced his leg, "me" mustered all his strength, "GO!" and shoved the dog off with one powerful push, successfully kicking him away and sending him further down the river.

Naruto gasped again and struggled to pull himself out of the water, tugging at the branch.

When he finally got out, drenched and exhausted, he collapsed on the dirt and began coughing up a lungful of water. His breathing was shaky, body wracked with convulsive shivers.

His hold on consciousness was slipping as darkness began swimming around the edges of his vision; his eyes became half-lidded. Thoughts fell apart, his mind fogged and he lost sense of where his body ended and the earth began.

Naruto knew, somewhere in the back of his throbbing head, that he was losing himself. To exhaustion, to relief, to the doubts...to the fear. And he was slowly giving in, until a sudden yelp pierced through the haze of his thoughts, and a shot of adrenaline suddenly rushed to every nerve of his being.

Naruto coughed once more, spitting up another glob of water before composing himself and hastily pushing up and off the ground. He began running along the edge of the river, and stopped when he found what had made the pained noise. His chest tightened at the sight.

Itachi was still in the river, his blue shirt caught on a rock by its neck, choking him.

Naruto's eyes widened as he shook his head slowly, falling to his knees and thrusting out a raw palm in the dog's direction, "Give me your hand!" he yelled desperately.

Itachi shifted his gaze to the fox, and Naruto found it both incredible and disturbing that, despite the situation, the dog still mustered up the strength to _glare _at him. He leaned in more, near tears. He didn't know _why _he needed to save Itachi, especially since he tried to kill Naruto in the first place; he just knew he had to. "You're gonna get killed! C'mon!"

Itachi coughed and lifted a hand out of the water, only to swipe it at Naruto's and make three cuts across his already tender palm, causing the fox the flinch and jerk his hand back.

Naruto wasn't sure if injuring him had been Itachi's intention, but the movement had caused the dog's shirt to loosen and come off the rock, sending him downstream again.

Naruto gasped and got back on his feet, holding his bleeding hand to his chest and continuing to run along the side of the river until he came to the edge of the cliff and halted to a stop.

Blue eyes watched and widened in horror as Itachi fell over the cascading waterfall. Even worse, he fell face-up, holding Naruto's gaze with an emotion he'd long forgotten he was even capable of feeling:

Fear.

Naruto quickly shut his eyes and turned away, tears streaming down his face.

No one could say he hadn't tried.

A few moments later, the blond swallowed and chanced a look. His breathing was heavy as he turned in one, slow movement, and what he saw made his brows furrow in confusion.

There were two people.

Naruto wiped at his eyes, his ears flattening as he sank down to his knees, carefully leaning forward with a narrowed gaze.

The blurry figures came into focus slowly but surely. One was definitely Itachi, on his back in the shallow water, not moving. His arms and right leg twisted at disgustingly unnatural angles; result from landing among rocks and stone.

The other was, "Sasuke..." he murmured.

As if on cue, Sasuke tilted his head up and looked directly at Naruto. But from this high up, the fox couldn't make out the other's expression.

Naruto licked his lips and turned away; beginning his descent back down the mountain towards the one person he prayed would give him comfort.

****

x-X-0-X-x

When Naruto finally managed to reach both dogs, he was met with the sight of Sasuke's back; sitting slouched next to his utterly still brother.

The fox frowned deeply and stepped forward, still clutching his wounded hand to his chest. "Sasuke?" he whispered.

The dog flinched and dropped his brother's hand, which Naruto just realized he'd been holding.

After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Sasuke slowly rose from the ground and turned his head half-way, bangs shadowing his eyes. "You killed him."

Naruto cringed and quickly shook his head. "No! I...I..."

Sasuke clenched his fist at his sides, holding back the urge to either grab the blond, yank him close and kiss him harshly until everything faded to normalcy. Or shove him down and tear his body to shreds in blind rage.

The latter seemed to be a bit more promising. But, "You _killed _my brother," was all he bit out.

Naruto opened his mouth, but only a small whimper fell out.

"Get out of here," Sasuke growled.

Naruto's ears flattened, his heart plunged. "But..."

"Get _out _of here!" he yelled.

"Sasuke I-"

Sasuke's head shot up, eyes bloody red and pointed directly at the fox. "Get out of here before I _kill _you!"

At this, Naruto's whole body jerked, and his heart sank past the pit of his stomach.

How could he have been so stupid? Did he really believe that Sasuke would pick him over his brother? Over his family?

Naruto took a step forward and hesitated, his eyes trailing downward. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

Sasuke struck out at him, clipping his chest, teeth bared in a threatening snarl. "I said get out of here! Damn fox!"

This time, Naruto _felt _the sting of the words, the pain that spread through his chest was proof of that. His mouth went dry, and the ground suddenly became something very hard to pull away from.

And that's when it struck him.

Where they were. What they were standing on. Where Sasuke had just threatened to _kill _him.

Naruto realized, they were standing on the very same spot where they had made love just one night before.

He gave an empty laugh, the pain becoming too much to fit through a small frown. He let his hand fall to his side and allowed a scowl to twist his features.  
If this was the end, so be it.

Knowing full and well of the consequences this might bring, Naruto stepped forward and shoved Sasuke back with both hands, causing him to stumble and almost trip over Itachi. Tears leaked out of his eyes from multiple origins; shock, hurt, pain, _anger_. "Kill me, huh?" He snorted, glancing at the red stain his palm had left behind on the Sasuke's white shirt, then up at Sasuke, locking gazes with him. His lips parted, "I wish you would've."

Naruto turned and began running towards his home, feeling a hellish glare burn through his back and spear his soul.


	7. Under the Moon's Glow

****

xxxChapter 6: Under the Moon's Glowxxx

Sasuke stared down at his brother through hollow eyes. Orochimaru was beside him with a deep frown on his face.

Itachi slept silently on the bed, his hair loose around his face and arms crossed over his stomach, covered completely in white bandages. His right leg was wrapped as well, chest rising and falling in slow, steady breathes.

Despite how mangled the dog was when Sasuke found him, the fall hadn't brought Itachi to death. But it seemed that would have been a less punishing result. Now both his arms were broken and would take some time to heal. And his leg was beyond repair, with torn ligaments and shattered bone; there was nothing they could for him.

It had been confirmed that Itachi could not hunt again.

Sasuke bit his lip. If it was the last thing he ever did, he would avenge his brother and _get _Naruto back for this.

Orochimaru abruptly stood up, hastily walking over to a table and pulling on a tattered, black shirt over his blue jeans. Then, picking up his rifle, he made his way to the door.

Sasuke turned his head. "Where are you going?"

"To pay our dear neighbor a visit."

Coal eyes darkened. "I'll come too."

"No, you stay here in case Itachi wakes up and needs something." He cocked the gun and stepped out. "This won't take very long."

****

x-X-0-X-x

Naruto lay face up on the rug in his home, the fireplace crackling beside him. He sighed softly, bringing up his hand to stare at the long strip of bandage wrapped around it.

There was a painful tightening in his chest as he remembered the way Sasuke's eyes had burned red, the fury that seeped out of them.

His ears suddenly twitched, light vibrations running through them. He shot up to a sitting position, ears alert and turning this way and that like a radar.

Iruka glanced up from the book he was reading, "Naruto? What's the matter?"

The blond's eyes narrowed and his lips parted, but no sound came out.

The door suddenly began pounding, causing them both to jump and Naruto bolted up from the floor, dashing into the kitchen.

"Eh – Naruto?"

The pounding became louder, drawing Iruka off the couch and to the door.

When he opened it, a force pushed against him, and he reflexively thrust his body forward and spread his arms against the door frame, acting as a barrier as Orochimaru continued to try and force himself inside.

"Get out of my way Iruka!" the pale man yelled, his anger making him use less sophisticated words than his usual choice of diction.

Iruka grunted as other pushed harder, and he raised a hand against his chest and harshly shoved him back. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" Iruka shouted, "This is private property! You can't just force your way in here!"

Orochimaru stood erect, staring down at the other man. "Where is he?" he bit out.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He grunted again when a rifle was pressed into his stomach, but he glared at the man, unfazed.

"Don't play stupid with me! Where is he?! Where's that damn fox?!"

"You have no business with my son, Orochimaru."

The man sneered. "Your 'son' nearly _killed _Itachi. He seduces and fucks one then tries to kill the other! He's nothing but a nuisance that needs to be taken care of!"

"Naruto would never do those things. Whatever happened to Itachi was_ Itachi's_ fault; _he _attacked Naruto first-"

"Because he was on _my _property. Now thanks to him, I'm a hunting dog short!"

"That _isn't_ his fault."

Orochimaru's jaw clenched, his eyes wild. And bathed in the moon's glow, he looked more demonic than human.

A pale finger was shoved into Iruka's face, pushing the rifle further into his stomach. "You can't keep him locked up and hidden in there forever, Iruka. Sooner or later, he _has _to come out. And when he does, have no doubt in your mind that I'll shoot him on sight. But _this _time," he stood straight, eyes narrowing, "I won't miss."

With those words hanging in the air, Orochimaru turned and left.

Iruka stood utterly still with wide eyes, letting the threat sink in before softly closing the door with a light 'click.'

He let his hands fall to his sides. "...I _can't_ keep protecting him..."

"Don't worry Dad."

Iruka started with surprise, whirling around to face Naruto. He frowned, "Didn't you _hear _what that man just said?"

Naruto nodded with a smile, but his ears were flat against his blond locks. "But if he hasn't caught me before, what makes you think he'll catch me now?"

Iruka snapped, "This isn't a _child's_ game Naruto!"

The fox flinched, surprised by his father's outburst.

Iruka stared at him with an unmoving frown. But inside, he could hear his own heart shattering into a million pieces at the decision he was about to make.

A barrage of memories flooded his mind, a year with the fox that suddenly seemed far too short.

But living here was no longer safe for Naruto. And despite how Iruka felt, he valued his son above all things. And he'd tear himself apart, if it meant Naruto's safety.

He pressed his lips into a thin line to keep the tears at bay.

Naruto stepped forward, "Dad? Are you alright?"

He nodded, "Yeah," and the lie tasted bittersweet on his tongue.

****

x-X-0-X-x

Naruto groaned softly as something shook him awake. He rolled over and blinked away sleep, blurry vision becoming clear to find

Iruka hovering over him.

His brows knitted in confusion, and he peered out the window behind his father's head, eyes settling on a full white moon.

"What...time is it?"

Iruka shook his head. "That's not important. Put some warm clothes on and let's go."

"But where-"

"Just come on."

Naruto still looked confused as Iruka walked out the door. But nevertheless, he threw off his covers with half-lidded eyes and picked up a pair of jeans from the floor, tugging them on. Then he went to a drawer and pulled out an orange undershirt and a matching sweatshirt, fitting them over himself and walking out barefoot.

Iruka was waiting patiently by the front door, and looked up when Naruto came in. "Ready?"

Naruto blinked, awake now. "Um...sure, but dad, why-"

"We're going for a ride."

"In the middle of the night?"

The man tipped his head and turned around, opening the door and stepping out. "C'mon."

Naruto sighed softly and followed him outside to the truck, wondering why his father was acting so strange.

Iruka turned the key as Naruto slipped inside and shut the door, the engine roaring to life.

The fox shrank into his seat as they pulled out of the driveway. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was in trouble for something.  
And why was Iruka being so secretive?

He looked outside, noticing that they were driving right past the forest.

Where the hell was Iruka taking them?

He turned to ask again but the stern look on the man's face trapped the question in his throat. Instead, he simply exhaled a breath and leaned his head against his father's shoulder, stared out the window at the round moon.

The last time they'd driven the truck out on a night like this was a few days after Sasuke had left, when Naruto was still a kit. Iruka had forgotten to buy fodder for the farm animals, and Naruto couldn't stay by himself.

The moon had been bright and full, like it was tonight, and Naruto had been staring at it just the same..

**_Naruto leaned against the window of the truck. The same, sad frown plastered on his face._**

**_So Iruka was a bit surprised when the little blond suddenly spoke up, "Daddy...why does the moon follow us when we drive?"_**

**_Iruka raised a brow at the question and contemplated an answer._**

**_He could tell Naruto the truth. About the earth's constant rotation and the moon being so far away, that it seemed everywhere at once. But the last thing Naruto needed right now was cold logic. So instead, "Well, it's dark at night Naruto. The moon wants us to be safe. So it follows us to light the way and keep us happy."_**

**_Naruto's eyes widened slightly. "Oh...you know what, daddy?"_**

**_"Hm?"_**

**_"The moon...it reminds me of Sasuke."_**

**_Iruka's lips twitched upward, "Oh really?"_**

**_Naruto smiled a bit, "Yeah."_**

**_"And why is that?"_**

**_The kit sat straighter, entranced by the white orb. "Because it's so beautiful," he turned to Iruka with azure eyes bright enough to put the moon to shame, "and because he makes me happy too."_  
**  
Naruto closed his eyes to cling to the feeling, but found he could no longer remember Sasuke as his moon.

The vehicle came to a halt, and Iruka let his hands rest on the wheel but didn't shut the engine off.

Naruto raised his head, catching tear stains on the other's cheeks. "...Dad?"

Iruka shook his head and opened the door. "C'mon Naruto, he murmured, before stepping outside.

Naruto lifted a brow and got out, quickly making his way around the truck to meet up with his father. "Dad, tell me what's wrong. You're acting really weird."

Iruka bit his lip, hesitating. But Orochimaru's promise re-surfaced in his mind and he released a long breath, looking straight at his son. "Naruto...you have to stay here."

Naruto flinched. "What?" he questioned. He had been so focused on Iruka's strange behavior, he hadn't even taken time to notice where he'd brought them to. He scanned their surroundings, finding that they were in some deep part of the forest; much farther than Naruto had ever cared to go.

He averted his gaze back to Iruka, confusion evident on his face. "What do you mean 'stay here'?"

"You can't come back with me."

Naruto's whole body jerked. Couldn't come back? Why was Iruka doing this to him? What had he done wrong?

His eyes shifted nervously from left to right, breathing becoming difficult as his heart picked up speed.

Was it because of the way he'd brushed off Orochimaru's threat? Should he have taken it more seriously? Iruka was abandoning him out here because of _that_?

Naruto fell forward, winding his arms around the man's torso and crying into his neck. "Don't leave me here daddy! I'm sorry!"

Iruka froze at the endearment, having not heard it for so long. Naruto was desperate, sounding like a helpless child who _needed _his father, innocent and loving.

Making it that much harder to let him go.

Iruka slowly raised his arms and wound them around the blond, holding him close and whispering into his hair, "You've done nothing wrong."

Naruto suddenly pulled back, looking back at him with wet blue eyes. "Then why are you leaving me here?"

That triggered and unbearable hurt in Iruka's chest. He remembered Naruto as a kit, all the pranks he used to pull (and still did actually), the games they used to play, all the trouble he'd gotten himself into. And it all seemed so long ago.

But he had, and would continue, to treasure every moment.

He lifted a hand to slowly stroke the other's hair. "Because I love you," he murmured.

"That doesn't make sense!" Naruto protested.

"Living with me isn't safe for you anymore, Naruto. You'll be better protected out here."

The fox bit his lip, eyes searching the man's face. "But..."

"You'll be fine, Naruto. Kakashi trained you on how to be on your own, didn't he?"

Naruto's ears flattened. Of course he could take care of himself, but that wasn't the point. He held the other tighter, tilting his head back to peer up at him, silent tears spilling out of his eyes. "...I'll miss you too much," he murmured.

Iruka's heart jumped. This was becoming more difficult by the second.

But there wasn't another choice. He found it a bit ironic that Naruto's only hope for survival when he was small was to be taken out of the forest. Now his only chance was to be put back.

He slid one hand down to squeeze the Naruto's shoulder, the other stroked a velvety red ear. "If you're sure you won't get caught, you know you can come see me whenever you want. And Kakashi will be out here with you too."

Naruto listened and considered this for a moment before nodding, his lips tilting half-way. He pulled his father into a full hug, murmuring softly into his chest, "I love you, daddy...thank you, for everything."

Iruka smiled and pulled back, kissing his son's forehead. "I'll miss you, Naruto." He slowly let his arms slip away from the fox and turned back to the car. But something occurred to him as he moved for the handle, and he paused, "Naruto...just one more thing."

Naruto blinked, "Hm?"

Iruka gripped the door handle, keeping his eyes focused on Naruto's reflection in the window. "How...do you feel about Sasuke now?"

Naruto froze, his blood running cold.

Iruka was careful with his words, "Do you still love him?"

The fox remained silent, but his lips twitched. Had it really been that obvious? Naruto had never _said _he loved Sasuke other than to Sasuke himself.

But he remembered the dog's stinging words over his brother's body, his eyes filled with rage, and he frowned deeply. Yes, Naruto did still love him. But...was it the same love as before? "I...I don't know," was all he said.

"Don't let him use your emotions to manipulate you, Naruto." Iruka warned, "Remember whose side he's on."

Naruto nodded, though it hurt him to think that Sasuke would actually use him that way just to get revenge. He looked up at the slam of a door. Iruka had gotten back inside the truck. The window came down, and the man stared at him, "...I'll see you."

Naruto smiled slightly. "You bet."

And with two heavy hearts and a promise between them, Naruto watched his father drive until he was nothing more than a speck in the night.

****

x-X-0-X-x

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, following Iruka's truck as it pulled back into the driveway, only to widen when he came out of the vehicle alone.

He stuck his fingers under the window and slid it up, sticking his head out slightly and sniffing the air.

Whiffs of pine tree and dirt hit his senses, but not Naruto's scent. There were faint smells of him here and there, where he had been that sent shivers up Sasuke's spine but nothing strong enough to indicate the fox was anywhere near here.

Sasuke turned his head back to look at his master, who was sitting beside Itachi and polishing his gun. "He came back without him," he stated.

This caught the man's attention. He stood up, leaning the rifle against the fire place and walking over next to Sasuke.

Orochimaru bent forward, fingers curling around the lip of the window as he observed Iruka walk into his home. He snorted softly. "He must've dropped him off at the game preserve," he muttered.

Sasuke stayed quiet.

Licking his lips, Orochimaru stood up again. "Come Sasuke, I want to show you something." He motioned for the dog to follow, and he obeyed.

Orochimaru led them into another room, pulled something off a table and crouched on the floor, setting it down with a loud 'clank.'

Sasuke raised a brow, coming over to crouch beside him.

Orochimaru dug his fingers between the metal, carefully prying it apart like the jaws of a wild animal. He set it down again, flipping something to keep it in position.

"This," he began, "will make that damn fox feel what Itachi feels."

Sasuke's ears perked up as he continued to stare at the silver death trap.

Orochimaru reached behind him and plucked a piece a piece of firewood that had been against the wall, "We'll set them up all over the place," he continued. "Then, while he's walking along without a care in the world," he held the wood over the trap, hovering, "we'll get him." He let go. And the moment the wood made contact with the metal, the jaws clamped faster than the eye could see and louder than the bang of shot, causing Sasuke to fall back on his rear.

He stared at the wood, now on either side of the trap, splinters sticking out in utter defeat.

Naruto didn't stand a chance against this thing, and this made Sasuke's stomach twist. He imagined Naruto, frolicking with his bright self and rolling around in the leaves of the forest earth. Then suddenly screaming in agony as metal teeth dug into soft flesh. Flesh that _he'd_ kissed, caressed and whispered love to. And his ears flattened.

Orochimaru looked up at him, observed his face. "You're not going to be able to do this, are you Sasuke? I know what you did with him, and if you're only going to slow me down, I'll leave you here."

Sasuke glanced at him, needles of guilt stabbing at his heart. Could he really do that to Naruto? Track him down and watch coldly as he's torn and shot to death right before his eyes?

A sudden 'thump' in the other room made Sasuke jerk. He scrambled up from the floor and quickly ran towards the sound.

All breath escaped him when he found Itachi on the floor, lying on his side a few feet from the bed.

"_Itachi_!" he yelled in panic before hurriedly picking him up and setting him down in a chair by the fireplace.

Sasuke fretted over the dog like a protective mother over her child's wound. He cupped Itachi's face, bringing it up to look at him.

Strands of hair fell over the other's eyes; he pushed them back, keeping them away. "Brother? Are you okay? Does anything hurt?"

Itachi didn't answer, simply kept his eyes averted with an empty look, like he'd been for days.

Sasuke bit his lip and stroked his brother's ear. "You're not healed yet," he whispered, "you shouldn't try to be walking on your own."

Itachi switched his gaze, staring blankly at his little brother, not murmuring a word.

Sasuke sighed heavily and brushed his thumb along the other's cheek. His features glowed eerily from the mixture of darkness and fire. "I'm here for you brother."

But Itachi didn't so much as blink.

Sasuke gritted his teeth. Even if it wasn't physical, his brother was dead inside. Hunting was Itachi's _life_, and now that it had been snatched away from him, what was left?

Nothing. And there was only one person to blame for that.

Orochimaru came into the room and leaned against the doorframe, folding his arms. "Well, Sasuke?"

Sasuke snorted softly. He pulled Itachi close, rubbing his cheek against the elder's ear, burying his face into dark locks. Then he turned his head, his nose peeking through strands of his brother's hair.

Eyes red as murder, his lips parted, "I'll _kill _him."

****

x-X-0-X-x

Naruto wiped away his tears and sank to the ground.

This was the first time he'd ever truly been alone. Where was Kakashi? Where were all the _other _damn animals that were supposed to live here?

He blew a bang out of his face with a frustrated grunt and tilted his head back to the night sky.

The moon stood out sharply against the black background, and Naruto narrowed his eyes as a cloud cut in front of it.

Suddenly, something cold and wet plopped on his nose, evoking a surprised snort.

Naruto shook his head and touched the tip of his nose with his forefinger. "...Water?" he muttered, before another droplet hit his cheek. And just like that, it started to pour.

Naruto ears flattened slowly and his mouth pulled into a frown, eyebrows furrowing. "Of course," he grumbled and stood up. He made his way over to a tree and again, sank to the earth.

But not a minute after he sat down did his eyes widen as something pushed him up from the ground, making him jump slightly.

He spread his legs and looked down, raising a brow and yelping when he was shoved off his butt and fell onto his back.

When he sat up, there was a young male with small, round ears peeping out from long, dark hair glaring down at him through two of the palest eyes Naruto had ever seen. "Um..."

The animal snorted and grit his teeth, bottom half of his body still underground. "Who the hell do you think you are? Sitting on top of my home!"

Naruto shook his head confusedly, "I'm sorry, I – I didn't know..."

The other scrunched up his nose. "Everyone knows that this is my property! Who are you? Go home!"

Naruto flinched, his eyes trailing down. "I..."

"Oh Neji, do not be so mean to him!"

Neji twisted his body and looked up, allowing Naruto to eye the thick, black line that ran down his pale back, drops of rain trickling along it.

"He SAT on me!" Neji yelled.

The other creature, who had small spines poking out from behind him and black shorts, shook his head. "He is new to the forest. He did not mean to disturb you."

Neji 'hmphed' and turned back to Naruto, pointed at him. "_You_, watch where you sit next time!" he warned, before disappearing back into the earth and covering the hole with wet dirt.

Naruto's brows slowly rose as he leaned forward, staring curiously at the ground. But he jumped back when something landed in front of him; the creature that had been talking to that Neji guy.

He smiled at Naruto through the rain. "Hello youthful friend! I am Rock Lee, a hedgehog. I apologize about Neji; badgers are grumpy when you wake them up."

Naruto blinked. "Uh," he bent his legs under him and loosely laid his arms on his lap. "I-I'm Naruto," he stuttered, "Sorry about...er – sitting on your friend."

Lee shook his head, "Not at all! Do not worry about Neji; he is not usually like that. You surprised him, that is all."

"Oh..."

Lee cocked his head. "You are new, right? I saw you earlier, with your...father, I think it was?"

Naruto looked at him, suddenly a bit pissed. "And you couldn't _warn _me about sitting here?"

The hedgehog smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "Yes, well, I am sorry. I did not want to startle you and I assumed you had not seen many forest animals before."

Naruto absentmindedly glanced at the ground. "Not like you guys."

Lee nodded. "If you like, you are welcome to stay with me for the night."

Naruto bit his lip and looked over his soaked self, then at Lee through a sheet of rain and sighed softly. "Yeah, that'd be great," he murmured.

Lee shot up from the ground with clenched fists, his black shorts slipping a bit from the sudden movement. "FANTASTIC! Let us go!"

Naruto tilted his head at the other's energy, and wondered briefly why he was wearing human clothes out here. He hesitated when Lee stretched out a hand, but then allowed the other to help him up. He carefully stepped _over _the spot Neji had popped out of and followed the hedgehog to another, quite large tree with a small hole in the middle.

Naruto cocked his head. "We won't fit in-" his eyes widened as he watched Lee squeeze through the hole and completely disappear.

He blinked, "Um...Lee?"

The other poked his head out, making Naruto flinch. "You will fit fine. It is much larger than it seems, and your body is built to fit through small spaces, is it not?"

The fox whined, unsure, his body beginning to convulse from the chill of the rain.

Lee retreated back into the hole and Naruto reached forward, sliding his arms inside, followed by his head.

He hunched his shoulders and twisted his body, shocked by how easily he squirmed and crawled his way into the hole. And Lee was right, it _was _much bigger than it looked from outside.

This part of the trunk had been carved hollow, with an arched roof and leaves scattered across the ground. Space just wide enough to barely fit two bodies.

"You live here?" Naruto asked, eyes roaming.

"No, only sleep."

The fox 'hm'ed' and peeled off his soaked sweatshirt, letting it 'splat' on the ground. Then he glanced outside, noticing the rain had let up to a light drizzle.

His ears flattened as he again, thought about Sasuke. "Lee?"

"Yes?"

Naruto laid down, curled up on his side with his hands clasped and tucked between his bent legs. "If you...love someone...and you hurt them really badly without meaning to...do you think they can forgive you?"

Lee raised a very furry brow. "That is an odd question."

Naruto curled tighter, and sensed Lee lay down beside him. "Does this person love you back?"

His eyes darkened, body shivered. "Not anymore."

"But they _did _love you."

Naruto's lips fell apart. He thought about Sasuke's kisses, his words...how he had claimed him. "...Yeah."

"Then yes."

Red ears perked up, muscles loosening. "You...you really think so?"

"Love is an emotion you can never completely erase, Naruto. It is the ultimate symbol of youth! If they loved you once, then there will always be a part of them that will continue to love you, no matter what. And you will always forgive someone you love, even if it takes time. That is what I believe! Is it a suitable answer?"

Naruto's mouth spread out slowly, and he resisted the urge to turn over and hug the other male. "Yeah, that's a good answer. Thanks Lee."

The thought that a small part of Sasuke could still love him, it swelled Naruto's heart with hope. And he fell asleep with the dream of him and Sasuke, whispering love to each other by the crashing waterfall.


	8. Streams of Light

****

xxxChapter 7: Streams of Lightxxx

Orochimaru cast Sasuke a glance as they walked side by side through the forest. "What's the matter with you?" he scolded. "You're stiff."

The dog flinched, coal eyes rising to look at his master. "I'm worried about my brother...we shouldn't have left him behind. Or we should've waited until he could walk, at least."

The man's features remained apathetic. "That would've taken up too much time. Kabuto will take care of him, he'll be fine. We have more important matters to attend to, Sasuke, and I can't have you distracted by thoughts and worries over Itachi." He stopped in front of a wired fence.

Sasuke considered his words and nodded to himself before observing the sign hovering over them:

**GAME PRESERVE:**

**HUNTING NOT PERMITTED**

**BEYOND THIS POINT**

A list of warnings, threats, penalties and fines were written below the words, jumbled and small.

Orochimaru scoffed lightly and kneeled down, pulling wire cutters out of his pocket. "Well, we're not really hunting, are we Sasuke?"  
Sasuke didn't answer.

The man smirked, "No, of course not. We're just looking for one" he snapped a wire "little" and another, "fox," the third split apart between the cutter's metal teeth.

Orochimaru smiled and tucked the tool back into his pocket, then turned serious. His golden eyes flicked to Sasuke with a frown. "Get to it," he ordered.

Without missing a beat, Sasuke got to his knees and crawled through the fence.

****

x-X-0-X-x

Naruto groaned softly before cracking open one eye, the sun beating on his face hotter than usual.

He threw an arm over his eyes, tail flitting this way and that, and reached behind him to grab his blanket and pull it over to block out the bright light.

His ears twitched when he felt something soft but spiky brush his hand. He fisted the material and yanked at it, earning an annoyed growl that snapped his eyes wide open.

Naruto immediately tossed his arm to the side, blue orbs widening with shock and confusion and darting from side to side in panic.

He hastily pushed himself up on his knees and pivoted his head every which way, bellowing out, "Where the _hell_?" before catching sight of some sleeping animal beside him.

He jumped back with a loud yelp, accidentally kicking the creature which caused it to wake up with a snort.

It sat up slowly and looked at the blond, rubbing one eye with the heel of his palm.

Naruto backed away.

"Naruto?" the creature drawled through a yawn, "What is wrong?"

Naruto shook his head in bewilderment. "Who are – what?" He continued to scoot backward on his elbows, dragging his body along the floor. "Where am-" he broke off in a gasp as the ground gave way, and found himself falling back until his body met painfully with the earth.

He cringed and then lay still, head reeling from the fall.

There was a heavy silence as Naruto took in his surroundings with a wide gaze, only broken by the twittering of birds. His ears flattened, and he peered up the tree, spotting the animal he'd seen earlier poking his head out of the trunk and staring down at him.

How had he managed to fall out of such a small hole?

"Naruto?" the creature called, "Are you alright?"

The blond sat up slightly and shrank back, leaning on his hands. And then it hit him.

Lee. The hedgehog. He remembered now.

Naruto whined softly, looking up at the sunlight that speared the treetops.

The forest.

A soft sigh escaped him as he recollected the previous day. Orochimaru, Iruka, the rain, Lee and that Neji guy.

This was his home now.

Groaning, he bent his legs and stood up.

Lee leaned out more. "Do you need me to come down?" he asked.

Naruto dusted off the back of his pants and looked up at him with a smile, then waved to show that he was alright. "Thanks Lee, I'm alright! I'll be fine! And sorry about kicking you!"

Lee smiled at this answer and waved a dismissive hand. "If you ever need anything, you know where to find me, yes Naruto?"

Naruto grinned and gave him a thumbs up. "You bet!"

And with that said, Lee gave a quick nod and retreated back into his tree.

After a moment, Naruto's smile dimmed, and his hand fell to his side.

What now?

He groaned again and blew a bang out of his eyes with a light huff.

"Well good morning."

Naruto nearly jumped out of his skin and twisted his body to see Kakashi standing behind him. "K-Kakashi!" he stuttered. He placed a hand over his racing heart, brows furrowing at the wolf. "You damn jerk! Don't sneak up on me like that!"

Kakashi's eyes closed in what could be assumed as a sheepish smile, his hand reaching to scratch the back of his head. "My apologies, I didn't mean to startle you Naruto."

Naruto lowered his hand, face still set in a frown as he turned fully to the wolf. "Where the hell have you been?"

Kakashi opened his eyes. "Why? Did you need me for something?"

"Did I...do you have any _idea _what kind of night I had?! I had to sleep in a fucking _tree_!"

Kakashi tipped his head. "You should be grateful, that's a luxury out here." He paused and scratched his chin with one finger, "Though, you should be in a _den_, not a tree."

Naruto only continued to complain at his blatant response. "I was soaked and _cold _Kakashi! And you weren't even _there _for me!"

Kakashi crossed his arms and flicked his tail. "What are you, a kit? I trained you on living out here. I understand your first night might've been a little rough, but it will only get better if you try to make it better. And complaining to me won't help."

Naruto paused for a moment, his lips forming a pout. "Well, some damn company would be nice. I met this guy named Lee and he was great and all but I don't want to wake up with an energetic hedgehog every morning."

"You don't want company," the wolf said, then lifted his hand and poked Naruto in the right side of his chest, where his heart was. "You want somebody to fill that void that Sasuke left behind."

Naruto flinched, his gut twisting. "That's not...true."

"Isn't it?"

Blue eyes slowly lowered to the floor, and Naruto couldn't help but remember the dog's blood red eyes, the way they had burned through him with utter rage.

Naruto gasped lightly, and looked up at the wolf, "Kakashi, there' something I've been wondering about...Sasuke, actually."

This seemed to touch an interest in the wolf. "What?"

Naruto laced his fingers, placed his hands over his head and looked up. "Well...since I've known him, Sasuke has always had black eyes. But...one time, they were red, blood red, like Itachi's. You know a lot about-" he had to pause and force out the next words, "hunting dogs, do you know why they...changed?"

Kakashi raised a brow before closing his eyes. "Yes, I do."

Naruto's hands fell apart as he leaned forward, "Really?"

"Believe it or not, Sasuke is a very rare and...special breed of hunting dog. His whole family line is pure and one of its own. Every dog from his bloodline cost a fortune and is extremely difficult to obtain."

Naruto's eyes widened. He'd never known Sasuke was such a big deal. "Why are they so great?"

Kakashi opened his eyes to stare at the blond. "Because," he said, "they're all _born _with exceedingly developed hunting abilities, and if you _train _one, then they simply become perfect killing machines. And as for their eyes, that's a unique trait that no other breed has. Their eye pigment fades to red through their anger and aggression, often when they are about to kill their prey. And sometimes, the eyes will remain that color, permanently, if the dog becomes nothing but a cold killer, with no sympathy towards anything."

Naruto stood utterly still and speechless when Kakashi finished.

No way...if their eyes turned red when they were about to kill their prey...then that meant...

_'Sasuke really would've killed me.'_

Naruto suddenly felt sick.

Kakashi uncrossed his arms. "You know, I thought for a while, when Sasuke came back, that maybe you two could really be together, because he still seemed to care for you. I encouraged it because I honestly believed it would work." He sighed and placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "But I think we both were wrong. I told you once not to be surprised if Sasuke comes back different, do you understand that now?"

Naruto bit his lip, his fists clenched and unclenched at his sides. "I want company," he said, "I don't want to be out here by myself. I want a friend, a real one...not a replacement for him."

Kakashi observed him lightly. "You really want help?" he asked.

Naruto licked his lips and nodded. "I need it."

Silence held for a while. And when it broke, Kakashi was back to his carefree, laid back, perverted old self. "Well alright, come with me."

Naruto's head shot up, "To where?"

"To get you some...similar company, of the dog genre."

Naruto jerked, 'dog' automatically connecting to Sasuke. "You're not going to stay with me?" he asked, a bit surprised.

"Wouldn't you prefer being around someone closer to your age?"

Naruto cocked his head, and after a moment, he smiled, happy that the heavy mood was gone. "Alright" he said, "Yeah, why would I wanna hang out with an old wolf all day anyway?"

Kakashi blinked. "Old?"

Naruto held out his palm before him. "Lead the way old timer."

"Well I might just change my mind if you keep insulting my age, I'm not old."

Naruto shoved him slightly. "Just go."

Kakashi 'hm'd' and started walking, Naruto following close behind.

****

x-X-0-X-x

Kakashi pushed aside stray branches and bushes in his path, Naruto still following and suddenly getting a face full of leaves as a branch struck him, nearly taking out an eye.

He sputtered incoherently and shoved the offending object away. "You did that on purpose!" he yelled.

Kakashi smiled. "Sorry, you know your eyes get weary with old age."

Naruto gaped at the wolf. "You're _still _sore about that? It was just a joke!"

"Shh!"

The fox's lips stiffened in a thin line, brows furrowing as Kakashi parted the bushes before them to reveal another animal crouched in front of a flowing river.

Naruto raised a brow and studied it, finding that he had a dark red tail with matching ears, a small brown patch on the left one.

Blue eyes widened. "Is that...he's not..." His head snapped to the wolf, "Kakashi! Is that-"

"Another fox," the wolf finished.

Naruto's lips slowly spread out into a smile. "Wow," he whispered, voice laced with wonder as he looked back to the animal. "Another fox..."

Kakashi suddenly pushed forward and stood up, leaving Naruto to sputter with confusion and stumble behind him.

The wolf stopped behind the other fox. "Good morning, Kiba."

The fox flinched before his head whipped to the wolf. "...Kakashi," he grumbled in annoyance before letting out a light snort and turning his attention back to the water. His eyes were fixed on a fish, trailing it as it slowly swam back and forth.

Kakashi glanced at the fish, then back to the fox. "Kiba, I brought a little something for you."

"Don't care. Doing something," he answered curtly, lifting an arm in preparation to swipe at the fish.

Kakashi pressed on, "It's another fox."

"Don't. _Care_," he repeated.

Kakashi sighed at Kiba's stubbornness and looked back, signaled for Naruto to come closer.

Naruto hesitated before stepping forward until he was behind the fox as well.

Kakashi turned his head to Kiba's direction and Naruto licked his lips nervously before murmuring a small "Hey," in greeting.

Kiba growled and splashed the water, causing the fish to swim away frantically. "Damn it!" he yelled, "What part of I DON'T CARE don't you get?!"

Naruto shrank back quickly as Kiba shot up and whirled to him.

He wore a baggy pair of beige shorts, chest bare and wild brown hair fell around his tanned face. His eyes were narrowed and slit pupils peered at him, fangs bared and two curious, inverted triangles marked his cheeks.

After a moment of simply glaring at the stupid blond who had cost him his breakfast, Kiba glanced up, catching the other's red ears and blackened tips. His own ears twitched, muscles relaxing and snarl settling into an indifferent expression. "So," he said, "you're a fox too. There aren't many of us out here, but I've never seen _you _before."

The blond grinned. "Yeah, I'm new."

"Pfft, I can tell."

The comment made Naruto frown, his brow crumpled.

Kakashi hastily stepped in, sensing the beginnings of a quarrel. "Naruto, this is Kiba. Kiba, Naruto. He's new to the forest, and I was wondering perhaps, since you two are the same breed and about the same age, maybe you both could get to know each other?"

Kiba snorted and pointed at Naruto while looking at Kakashi. "Why would I want to hang out with _that_?"

Naruto snarled and shouted a "HEY!" before the wolf could answer. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

Kiba scrunched up his face and stepped closer to the blond, leaning in and sniffing him before cringing back in disgust. "You have the scent of dog all _over _you. What'd you do, screw with one?"

Naruto's arms subconsciously flew up to wrap around himself, and he glared at the fox. "That's a pretty good nose you have," he stated blandly. "I haven't been around a dog in days and I washed their scent away a while ago. Plus, it rained on me last night."

"Yes, Kiba does have a bit of a gift for catching faint smells, sometimes he recognizes scents that have nearly faded completely," Kakashi commented, hoping to change the subject.

Kiba scowled and placed one hand on his hip. "And I can tell that _he's_ just a pampered priss-"

Naruto sneered. "I am not!"

"Who likes to mess around with hunting dogs-"

Naruto's face flamed. "Shut up! Just shut the hell up! You don't even know what the fuck you're talking about! You have no fucking _idea _what's going on between Sasuke and me!"

Kiba glanced at him with a light 'hmph.' "You're no fox. _Real _foxes don't hang out with _dogs_. You might as well _be _a dog yourself."

That set Naruto off. "I. Am _not_. A dog," he gritted out.

Kiba tilted his head. "...Fine then, prove it."

"_How_?"

Kiba pointed to the river behind him. "You think you can make it out here, huh? Think you're a _real _fox? Well, let's see you catch a fish."

Naruto paused, his lips stretching out into a smile as he laughed. "That's all? Catch a stupid fish?"

Kiba nodded.

"Tch," with an unwavering smile, Naruto stepped forward. "No problem," he gloated, "You happen to be looking at an _expert _fish catcher."

Kiba raised a brow expectantly, while Kakashi frowned and placed a hand over his masked mouth. "Oh dear...don't overdo it Naruto," he murmured in warning.

They watched Naruto crouch down in front of the river, smiling when a fish caught his eye. He followed the creature with his gaze and raised an arm into the air much like Kiba had done earlier.

He licked his lips. "Gotcha," and brought his hand down.

****

x-X-0-X-x

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes as Sasuke lowered himself to the ground. "Well?" he asked.

Sasuke's ears stuck up, his nose twitching slowly, "...Not here. Iruka must have driven him further in; this ground doesn't carry his smell."

The man's jaw tightened. "'Nothing' is what you're telling me."

Sasuke stood up and looked at him. "No. Just because his scent isn't on the ground doesn't mean he's not here. It just means he's farther than we expected."

A brow went up as Sasuke closed his eyes and sniffed the air.

The dog closed off everything and focused on nothing but smell. He picked through the pine of trees and mingled scents of numerous animals until something hit his senses with an almost physical force.

This was it, without a doubt. You could shove cotton up his nose, blindfold him, and toss him in a pit with a myriad of smells. He would _still _be able to pull Naruto's out without a second thought.

But something took hold of him. The scent burned through his nose and dove down his throat, trailing fire throughout his loins as it shook every nerve within him.

Sasuke's mind raced with images of the very blond fox he was aiming to kill, pictures at first that quickly changed to erotica. His breath caught and he gasped loudly, felt his body shiver with need as his thoughts blurred and Naruto's scent conjured moving bodies and panting mouths.

An all too familiar heat flowed downward.

Suddenly, Sasuke was ripped away from his thoughts, his head quickly snapping to the man beside him, who had placed a hand on his shoulder.

Orochimaru stared at him. "Are you alright?" and strangely, he truly seemed concerned.

Sasuke stared back with a blank expression, as if trying to remember when exactly his master had showed up.

Orochimaru moved his hand and stepped away from the dog. "You gasped and suddenly lost focus," he explained.

Sasuke shook his head slowly and looked down at his hands, noting that they were sweaty and warm.

"Well? Are you alright?" he asked again.

Onyx orbs continued to stare at his palms, before they abruptly clenched to fists and flicked up to the other. "Yeah," Sasuke assured. "I'm fine. He's far but a straight path will lead us in the right direction for now." He licked his too dry lips, "Until we come to something he might've touched or stepped on, then I'll try again."

Orochimaru nodded. "Let's go," he muttered, and began to walk in the direction his dog had given.

Sasuke followed obediently behind his master.

But worry nipped at the edges of his mind.

Naruto's scent had triggered a strong reaction, and forced Sasuke to realize that despite hunting Naruto, Sasuke still felt very much attached to him. Hunting him or loving him, Naruto still _belonged _to Sasuke, and this worried the dog, as attachment could cause a serious setback on his hunting abilities.

No matter if it was as friend, lover, or prey:

Naruto was _his_.

****

x-X-0-X-x

Naruto's arm curved and his hand came down with more elegance than he knew he was capable of.

Unfortunately, that was where the elegance ended.

The second his fingers touched the water, the fish scurried away, which of course, caused Naruto to lean forward after it with an outstretched arm and promptly fall into the water with a loud splash and wide eyes.

Now, for normal, smart persons, this is where the embarrassment would have ended. But no, Naruto being Naruto, his stubbornness got the better of him, and he decided it wise to chase after the fish _in _the water.

He managed to wrap a hand around the creature and bring it out of the water only so it could slip out. He caught it with his other hand, which again, it slipped out of with ease. "Damn it!" he yelled, and just to add to his predicament, got a mouthful of water for it.

Naruto coughed and sputtered and fell backwards, immersing himself completely before resurfacing again with a huge gasp of air.

The fish, being smart, had long gone.

Naruto floated in the water, dumbfounded and drenched to the core. But when laughter reached his ears, he turned to find both Kiba _and _Kakashi rolling all over the ground in bursts of it.

The blond blushed furiously with flattened ears and slowly swam back to the bank before crawling out, soaking wet and frowning. "Yeah yeah, laugh it up," he muttered.

Kakashi was trying miserably to stop, "Ahaha – I'm sor – hahahaha – Naruto, you just – pshhhht! AHAHAHA!"

And Kiba wasn't even _trying _to hide _his _enjoyment. "DUDE! AHAHAHAH – YOU WERE-" he continued to laugh, hands coming up to clench at his sides.

Naruto was growing angrier by the second, his mind clouding with it. "LIKE YOU COULD'VE DONE ANY BETTER!" he yelled, pointedly at Kiba.

But the fox just kept on laughing.

Naruto's teeth clenched, his body tightened, and his mouth opened before his brain could come up with something to say. "DAMN _FOX_!"

It was scary, how the laughter suddenly stopped.

Kakashi was wide eyed at the blond, who stood rooted to the spot, wondering why the hell something so...so..._Orochimaru_, had come out of his mouth.

It wasn't until Kiba was standing right in front of him, fuming, that Naruto snapped out of his trance.

That was quite a nasty snarl on his face. "_What _did you say to me?" he breathed threateningly.

Naruto inched back, glancing from Kiba to Kakashi, who didn't move to help him, and back to Kiba. "Uh...I..."

Kiba snorted. "You're more of a dog than you _think _you are," he grumbled and gave Naruto a hard shove against his shoulder.

Naruto stumbled, but didn't fall. His eyes flashed with anger. He knew he was in the wrong here, knew he should apologize, but he wasn't one to be pushed around without pushing back.

So that's exactly what he did. Screw apologies, he shoved Kiba back.

And just like that, they were on each other. Snarling and growling and punching and kicking.

Kiba grabbed a fistful of Naruto's hair and pushed his cheek into the ground, then dragged it across until it was caked with dirt.

Naruto wrenched his head away and swiped blindly at Kiba's neck, leaving two red gashes behind. "ASSHOLE!" he screamed.

Kiba straddled him and brought a fist against the side of his forehead, "DOG FUCKER!"

Kakashi stood and watched, smiling to himself.

Naruto spit out blood and shoved Kiba off before pushing him to the ground, switching their positions so that _he _was the one straddling him.

Kiba growled and bucked in an attempt to throw the other off. "FUCK OFF LOSER!"

"_BITE _ME JACKASS!" Naruto pressed on the other's shoulders and stared at him, both panting heavily and bloody with sweat and dirt plastered all over them.

Kakashi still stood with his little smile, which was growing larger by the second.

He mouthed the words, "Three...Two...One..."

Suddenly, Naruto began laughing. And not giggling, light laughter. No, it grew until it resounded through the trees and filled the air, deep and joyful, and truly..._heartfelt_.

Kiba's brows knitted, but he couldn't hold back his own smile, brought on by Naruto's ridiculous laughter. "What the hell is so funny?"

Naruto forced himself to calm a bit and looked down at the other fox. "It's just," he shook his head and shrugged, "haven't had this much fun...in a while. A long while," he continued laughing, softly now.

Kiba seemed a bit surprised by the answer, and a little confused. But he let out a light chuckle nonetheless. "Hm, Naruto, right?...I guess you're not so bad."

Naruto smiled back. For what, he wasn't sure.

Maybe it was to return Kiba's gesture. Or maybe, just maybe, it was because Kiba could show him, that there was life after Sasuke.


	9. Discovery

****

A/N: This has _not _turned into a KibaNaru people B(

* * *

**xxxChapter 8: Discoveryxxx**

Heavy pants filled the air as Sasuke awoke with a start, sweating and shaking slightly. And onyx orbs were wide as bits and pieces of his dream began to come together.

A long, drawn out moan passed his lips at the recollection, but he caught himself and quickly clapped a hand over his mouth, eyes darting to the small tent where his master was still sleeping.

Sasuke quietly picked himself up from the ground and walked away to a nearby tree, but far enough so that he was out of hearing range from Orochimaru.

He lowered his hand and slowly slid down the trunk, dropping to the floor and sitting against the wood. "Damn it," he muttered while punching a fist to the earth, coal eyes settling on the moon.

This was becoming increasingly difficult for Sasuke. The farther they ventured into the forest, the heavier Naruto's scent became. His mind was becoming filled with nothing but raw urge. And there wasn't a _damn _thing he could do about it.

Sasuke groaned loudly, his dream re-surfacing again. It had, of course, centered on Naruto. He might be able to restrain his thoughts while he was awake, but asleep, he had no choice but to relinquish control to his body – and what his body yearned for.

And through _that _dream – clawing, sweating, and panting – what he wanted had been clearly shown.

And it had nothing to do with killing Naruto. Though there _had _been pain involved, pleasured heaps of it.

Sasuke's eyes snapped open, not having realized that they had slipped shut at some point. He also noticed that his hand had slid down to grab his now erect member through his pants. Breathing had increased as well.

Sasuke moaned loudly, letting himself go. He tossed his head back and began rolling his hips.

He could picture it so clearly, his dick pulsing and throbbing in the fox's tight heat. Their bodies flushed, touching, hot and sticky with fluid.

His hand was working furiously; rough strokes against the fabric as panting tore his lips apart. "_Naruto_," he growled, the imagery becoming more vivid.

Sasuke gasped and hastily unzipped himself, pulling out his erection and enclosing fingers around it. His hand moved in a jerky rhythm, no skill or timing with his breaths. Pale fingers squeezed and tugged with little more than raw desperation.

Pre-cum seeped out and his ears flattened as pleasure threw his head against the tree. His hips bucked into his touch, desperately seeking release.

There was a familiar coiling at his base, drips of his essence running down his fingers that gleamed in the moonlight, and Sasuke's mouth hung open in a mute scream as his orgasm erupted and covered the dirt before him.

The dog's fingers shakily loosened around himself, eyes opened and slowly recalled how to see. His breaths were deep, heavy, with long pauses in between each one. And he stared at the white mess he'd made on the ground.

Sasuke sat still, not moving or tucking himself in, nothing.

Itachi suddenly came to the forefront of his mind; weak and pained and helpless.

Sasuke's brows came together in anger, and he kicked his foot to cover his seed with dirt. "Fuck you Naruto," he said through clenched teeth.

But whether it was a curse or a plea, Sasuke could not tell.

****

x-X-0-X-x

Blue eyes fluttered open to the sight of Kiba, lying beside Naruto on the floor of his den.

Naruto had to bite his lip to keep from laughing at the other fox, who had his mouth wide open, loud snores flying out and drool trickling down from the hole.

He also noticed that his arm was wrapped tightly around Kiba's chest, and Naruto blushed a bit before hesitating and removing it slowly. Not to mention that Kiba's tail had also somehow wrapped itself around Naruto's leg. Naruto blinked in the dim home before carefully pulling his limb from the mass of fur.

The blond yawned loudly and got on his hands and knees. He stretched forward, arms reaching before him and bum rising in the air. Then did an opposite stretch where his bottom half calm down and his chest arched upward, his eyes closed and ears flat.

Naruto shook his head from side to side, ears flopping with the movement, and he jumped suddenly when a loud snort came up behind him. He looked back at Kiba. The fox was still asleep, but he had a very large grin on his face, and he was babbling something about fish.

Naruto smiled with amusement before moving his foot to shove at Kiba's head and wake him up.

Kiba started with a jerk, his eyes flying open and darting around the den. His mouth pulled down at the corners when he failed to find whatever he was looking for; he looked at Naruto. "What happened to all the babes who were feeding me?"

Naruto chuckled softly and shook his head. "They realized who they were feeding."

Kiba glared before growling playfully and shoving Naruto lightly with his foot. "Whatever blondie, don't be jealous just cuz' I can get hotties and you can't."

Naruto's mouth fell apart in a response, but he bit his tongue before he could say it. 'Sasuke was beyond the definition of 'hottie.''

Thank God he'd stopped that.

Instead, he licked his lips and said, "It's not like I had much of a chance."

Kiba tilted his head and sat up. "Aw that's not true man! I was kidding, you're a total looker," he puffed his chest out, "Of course, not as good as me, but hey, if you were of the opposite sex, I'd be into you."

Naruto shook his head, but smiled a bit at the thought that Kiba in some way considered him attractive. "That's not what I meant. I've never been around a girl before."

Kiba's jaw literally dropped, his eyes growing comically wide. "..._What_?"

Naruto shrugged. "I've never seen a female before, besides my mother. But she died when I was a kit."

Kiba's ears flattened. "That's...that's terrible!"

Naruto stared at him before snorting a laugh. "What is? My mother dying, or my never having been around a girl?"

"_Both_."

The blond looked down and shook his head, still smiling.

Kiba eyed the other before grinning and moving forward. "C'mon."

"What?"

"That's just unnatural, never having contact with someone of the opposite sex. I won't just sit by and let this continue, what kind of friend would that be?"

Naruto flinched, surprised by the word, but his lips stretched out farther. "Okay," he said.

They both crawled out of the den into the bright morning sun and stood up. Kiba began leading them in another direction, walking shoulder to shoulder with the other fox.

And Naruto just couldn't wipe the stupid smile off his face. If he had any doubts before, they were nonexistent now. He truly believed that Kiba was heaven sent to help him get through hell.

****

x-X-0-X-x

Iruka looked up to see Kakashi coming through his front door. He hastily got up from the couch, where he had nervously been chewing away at his nails, and hurried over to the wolf, grabbing his shoulders. "How is he? Is he alright? Is he eating? How thin was he? Does he need more clothes? Is he lonely? Does he-"

Kakashi clapped a hand over the stammering man's mouth. "He's _fine_, Iruka, even made a new friend." He lowered his hand. "Naruto's a big boy. Not even, he's a fox. He belongs out there and he can take care of himself."

The smaller man blinked and let out a relieved sigh, resting his forehead against the wolf's chest and lowering his arms. "Thank God," he whispered. "I was so worried...I might've made the wrong choice."

Kakashi's eyes scrunched up in little crescents, showing the smile under his mask. "Well, no need to fret." He settled one hand into Iruka's hair, "He's been soaked by rain, slept in a tree, made a complete fool of himself in front of another fox, and managed to get the crap beaten out of him all within his first two days."

Kakashi cupped the man's face. "The fact that he's still alive should put your worries to rest."

****

x-X-0-X-x

"So Naruto,"

Naruto tilted his head to the other, hands laced behind him as they continued their walk through the forest to wherever Kiba was taking them, "Yeah?"

"You say you've never been around a female before."

Naruto nodded. "I haven't."

"But...I know you've had," Kiba flushed lightly as he searched for an appropriate word, "_contact_, even though it was with a dog. I could smell it on you."

Naruto blushed. "Well...yeah..."

"It smells like a male, does that mean the dog was male?"

Naruto hunched, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "Yeah...he is."

Kiba snorted a laugh. "So not only were you screwing dogs, but it was a _male _dog?"

Naruto stopped and spun to him. "No, it was _one _dog and he...it's...it's complicated." He lowered his head and continued walking.

Kiba cocked his head, seeing that he'd hit something sensitive with his friend. "Hey, I'm sorry. Whatever you do is your business."

Naruto shook his head. "No, it's just...I know it's weird, I know it is...but Sasuke and me...we have, well, we _had _a..._special _relationship. You know? We...I...I don't really know how to explain it, we just..._needed _each other...but..."

Kiba waited for an answer, frowning when Naruto bit his lip, "But?"

The blond jerked. "Nothing," he muttered. And just like that, his blinding smile was back full force. "So, where's this place we're going?"

Kiba blinked at the sudden mood swing but looked up ahead nonetheless, and his own smile came out, "Right here."

Naruto looked ahead as well and saw nothing but a bunch of bushes in their way. "Um...there's nothing here."

Kiba suddenly grabbed his arm. "Now listen here blondie, you can _look _but if you touch, I break your arm off. Got it?"

Naruto's brow furrowed. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Kiba grinned and pulled Naruto forward towards the bushes before pulling them apart, revealing a vast meadow filled with white flowers.

Naruto's features twisted to amazement. "Whoa..."

Kiba grabbed Naruto's chin, shifting it to another direction. "_That _is what I'm talking about."

Azure eyes settled on a slim figure not too far off. It was sitting among the flowers, their back facing them, orange tail swishing from side to side under long, dark hair that fell down the pale frame.

Naruto squinted before gasping at the realization of what he was staring at. "That's...that's a _she_."

Kiba nodded. "Her name is Hinata. She's real pretty and sweet," he gave Naruto a warning look, "and _mine_."

Naruto raised a brow before crossing his arms and staring at him. "Does _she _know that?"

He was surprised to see a blush spread out on Kiba's cheeks. "Well, uh, no...not yet, but she will!"

Naruto rolled his eyes, "Uh-huh," and scoffed before standing and stepping into the meadow, feet sinking and disappearing beneath the flowers.

Kiba growled. "She will!" he yelled and stumbled after the blond.

Naruto continued his advancement until he was in front of the girl, and he was about to say something, if his eyes hadn't trailed down and found her exposed breast first. All words died on his tongue, leaving him to let out a light breath.

Hinata caught this and lifted her head, tilting it at the blond visitor, a bouquet of flowers were clustered in her hands. "H-hello," she squeaked.

Naruto felt heat rush up his neck. Even though the fox's long hair was covering most of her breasts, they were still..._there_, peeking out on the sides. Her bottom half was buried beneath the meadow flowers.

Kiba finally caught up, smiling brightly at the girl. "Good morning Hinata!"

Hinata returned the gesture, "Good morning Kiba. Is th-this your friend?"

"Yeah!" he slapped Naruto's back harder than necessary, causing him to lean forward a bit. "This is Naruto. I just wanted to show him what a pretty girl looked like, and you were first to pop in my mind!"

Hinata's ears flattened in embarrassment, and a light blush spread out on her cheeks. "Oh, th-thank you." She smiled warmly at Kiba, then at Naruto, who was still hot in the face.

It was like a damn blush fest.

But Naruto's flush receded when he caught Hinata's eyes. They were an unusual purple-white color, just like...

"Hey, do you know a guy named Neji? A badger?"

"Neji?" Hinata pondered the name before shaking her head, "N-no, I don't."

"Really? You two have the exact same eyes, that's kinda weird." Naruto emphasized his point by pointing at Hinata's face.

Hinata frowned a bit, not really sure what to make of the comment.

Kiba smiled and elbowed Naruto roughly in the side.

"OW!" Naruto yelled and snarled at him, "Hey!"

"What he _means _to say is, your eyes are really pretty, Hinata, they're unique."

Naruto made a disbelieving face. "Do you even know what that means?"

Kiba spun around and punched him square in the jaw.

Hinata gasped and jumped back slightly. "A-are you alright Naruto?"

Kiba answered before Naruto could, "Oh Naruto, you're always falling down, maybe we should go." He grabbed the blond's arm and began dragging him away after saying goodbye to Hinata.

When they were out of the meadow and past the bushes, Naruto managed to struggle out of Kiba's hold and stand up with a slightly red cheek. "What the fuck was that for?!"

"You were embarrassing me right in front of her!"

"I was not!"

"No wonder you're banging male dogs! You expect to get a pretty girl by calling her weird?!"

"I never said _she _was weird," Naruto argued, before he paused and raised a brow, "But then again, why was she stuttering so much?"

"She's shy!" Kiba hollered defensively.

"Whatever, like you were so damn charming over there."

"What do you mean by that?"

Naruto looked up and held his hands up next to his face, fingers pointing outward as he began wiggling them. "Oh Hinata, you're so PRETTY! Oh Hinata, you're so UNIQUE! Teeheeheehee!" he said this with a high voice, mocking what Kiba had said.

Kiba blushed hard and jumped forward to shove the blond. "Go to hell! I do NOT sound like that!"

Naruto grinned and shoved him back. "Yup, like you had your balls cut off and everything."

Kiba kicked him.

Naruto kicked back, screaming, "You're it!" and dashed off.

Kiba stared at him, running off like an idiot. "Aren't we a little old for that?" he yelled.

Naruto turned around, running backwards. "Chicken shit!"

Oh.

Oh hell no.

Kiba ran after him.

As Naruto turned forward and continued his run, he found himself thinking about his first encounter with a female fox, and comparing it to Sasuke.

Hinata had been pretty, very pretty.

But so was Sasuke.

Hinata had smelled nice, like honey and earth.

But Sasuke's scent was addiction.

Hinata's eyes were light, safe, and warm.

Sasuke's drew you in, suffocated you like a black hole.

Under the right circumstance – had Kiba's like for Hinata not existed, or Naruto cared for her as something more – he wouldn't hesitate to love her in the most pleasurable of ways.

But it wouldn't compare to pleasuring, or _being _pleasured by Sasuke.

Naruto knew that if he had met someone, female or male, while Sasuke was gone, it wouldn't have mattered.

It wouldn't have changed anything at all.

****

x-X-0-X-x

Orochimaru kneeled down in front of the fox den. He examined it for a moment before looking at Sasuke. "Is it him?" he asked.

Sasuke got down beside him and closed his eyes, pressed his nose to the earth. He wasn't able to squeeze into the den, but Naruto's scent should be on the...

His eyes flew open.

Orochimaru leaned forward. "What? What is it?"

But Sasuke couldn't hear him.

His claws slowly began to dig into the dirt. Sasuke's tail was high in the air, ears erect and a deep, threatening growl emanated from his throat. His muscles tensed, fangs bared themselves as his growling grew in volume. Sasuke's body began to quake in fury.

Black bled to red.

Orochimaru moved back and cocked his gun, unsure of his dog's sudden behavior. "Sasuke," he ordered, "Is. It. Him."

"Yes," Sasuke whispered. "But...there's another one."

Golden eyes widened, "Another fox? With him?"

Sasuke nodded slowly, his teeth clenched, "Yeah."

His master smiled. "All the better, he can die with a friend. Come Sasuke, they have to go through that hollow in the ground if they want to come back to their den, we'll set the traps there."

He stood up and left, but Sasuke did not follow. He was frozen on the spot, consumed by disbelief...anger...jea...

Sasuke swallowed down a curse, tasting murder on his tongue.

****

x-X-0-X-x

Naruto's laughter echoed through the forest as Kiba finally managed to catch up and wrap his arms around the blond's stomach, taking them both to the ground.

They rolled through the dirt until Naruto shoved the fox off and sat up with a smile on his face. "Okay," he said through pants for breath, "you win."

Kiba grinned. "Damn straight."

Naruto chuckled softly and looked at where they had ended up.

His stomach froze, eyes catching a wooden fence not too far from where they were sitting.

Naruto's ears flattened. "Hey..." he said, "I know where we are."

Kiba cocked his head, trailing his gaze to where Naruto's lay on the fence. He frowned, "Far away from where we _should _be?"

Naruto continued to stare at the wood, not giving the other response.

"We should go back," Kiba suggested. "We're out of the preserve."

Naruto shook his head. "No." He stood up, "Let's peep inside."

Brown eyes widened, "Are you crazy? What if it's a hunter?"

"It is."

"Again, are you crazy?"

"He's not here," the blond assured, pointing to the empty lot in front of the house. "The truck is gone."

"I'm not going near there, what if he has dogs?"

Naruto opened his mouth to answer, but stopped, words catching in his throat. His eyes narrowed at a sliver of wood peeking out from behind Orochimaru's house.

He squinted into the dusky afternoon. "What is...that?" he questioned to no one in particular, the small structure not clicking any recognition in his mind.

"I don't know, but what I _do _know is that we need to leave before – hey!" Kiba cried out as Naruto grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the hidden shed.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" he yelled through a harsh whisper. "That's _towards _the danger Naruto!"

Naruto put a finger to his lips and pulled Kiba onward. "I've never seen that before, " he said, "I just wanna see what's inside."

"But Naruto-" Kiba stopped, both his and Naruto's ears shooting up to an alert stance.

A look of panic crossed their features, and within seconds, they ducked underneath the porch and hid themselves as the screen door swung open and footsteps pounded down the wood.

Kiba shot Naruto a look. "I thought you said no one was home!"

"SHH!" Naruto pressed close and pulled them further into the darkness, then looked out at the man standing just in front of them.

He had long white hair pulled back in a loose ponytail, a pair of glasses that rested on his nose. The glare from the setting sun hid his eyes behind the shining lenses, and a black robe covered his body as he glanced from left to right.

Naruto's brow crumpled. What was this person doing at Sasuke's house? Naruto had never seen him before.

The man sniffed lightly and pushed his glasses up with a bent middle finger. "Could have sworn I heard something," he mumbled thoughtfully as he turned and headed back inside the house.

When they heard the door slam shut, both foxes let out a relieved sigh and crawled out from beneath the porch.

Naruto quickly re-took hold of Kiba's hand and pulled them behind the house and in front of the wooden shed.

"Who was that guy?" Kiba asked. "A hunter?"

Naruto shrugged. "I don't know...I don't think so. Only one hunter and his two dogs live here, Orochimaru and Itachi and my...and Sasuke."

Kiba's eyes brightened at the pause. "Is that...you know, is that _him_?"

Naruto's lips parted in hesitation, but he closed them and nodded. "Yeah." He smiled crookedly, "My little dog adventure was with Sasuke."

Kiba frowned but didn't push the matter further and allowed Naruto to pull him in past the door that swung open without resistance.

Neither of them expected what they would find inside.

Kiba felt his eyes grow wide, and his hand slipped away from Naruto's, who stood just as still and motionless beside him.

Naruto's mouth let out a pathetic whimper and Kiba shook his head before quickly snapping his gaze to the floor, not able to continue staring at the walls.

Almost every inch of them was covered in fur. Small animals like squirrels and mice were all piled into a barrel sitting in the corner of a wall. There were antlers and chopped ears pinned to different slabs, a gold label shining beneath them.

Naruto's body was quivering from the sight. His stomach churned and he suddenly fell to his knees before coughing and spitting up some of the fish he'd eaten yesterday.

There couldn't have been a more perfect reaction. Because that's exactly what this place was, sickening.

Kiba's fists clenched at his sides, his ears flat as he stared sadly at Naruto. "Maybe," he whispered, "we should go, Naruto."

The blond didn't hear him. His tail slowly curled between his legs as he sat back on his heels.

Kiba made an unsure noise and cautiously dropped beside him. "We should get out of here," he said.

Naruto still wasn't listening; his mind was too busy placing the pieces together.

This...this was a trophy room. For hunting. Orochimaru was a hunter. Sasuke was a hunting dog.

Hunters and their dogs work together to bring down prey, then hang them like a lifeless prize once they're through. Trophy room was such a fitting term.

All this...Sasuke helped build it.

Blue eyes watered.

Sasuke truly _was _a monster.

"Kiba..." he whispered.

Kiba flinched and shifted closer to the other, making sure to keep his gaze on him, "Yeah?"

"I haven't told you why...why Sasuke and I...aren't how we used to be, have I?"

The fox listened intently before shaking his head, "No."

Naruto stared at the floor, not moving. "His brother was trying to kill me. And I really hurt him while I was trying to defend myself...I tried to help him too, but...I tried."

Tried, tried, tried, what else could he have done?

"Sasuke...hasn't forgiven me, and he won't...he's out to kill me now too, for revenge. I don't think he'll ever forgive me..."

He yelped suddenly when Kiba's clawed fingers bit into his arm and yanked him closer. "He shouldn't have too! You didn't do anything wrong! Why should you care if he forgives you or not?! If anything _he _should be asking for _your _forgiveness!" He sounded so angry, as if it the injustice affected him more than Naruto himself.

"I care...I care because...I loved him Kiba."

"Do you _still _love him?"

"Yes."

Kiba scowled and leaned down, pressing his forehead against Naruto's and pushing his head up so their eyes locked.

The brunet stared at him sternly, and tightened the grip he had on the other's arm. He licked his lips and opened his mouth. "Are you sure about that?" he asked.

Naruto's body tightened quickly before slackening, his eyes held Kiba's for a moment then slowly trailed down to the floor. "...No..."

He felt the claws loosen from his skin.


	10. Where Loyalties Lie Part One

****

xxxChapter 9: Where Loyalties Lie (Part One)xxx

"So...how many of them do you think were foxes?"

Kiba glanced at the blond walking beside him on their way back to their den. He shrugged slightly. "Don't know. I didn't really wanna _observe _what was hanging on the walls."

Naruto blinked before grinning. "Too weak stomached?"

A fine brow went up. "That's pretty tough talk coming from the one who threw up all over the floor."

Naruto cringed at the words and frowned. "It was not all _over_. So I spit up a little, who wouldn't? It was disgusting."

Kiba smiled and slung an arm around the other male, pulling him close. "Well, the good news is, we never have to go there again."

Naruto smiled back, and then enclosed his hand around the one hanging over his shoulder. "Yeah, that's true. I just hope we never, you know, end up...there," he muttered, and there was a plunge in his stomach as he said this. Because he knew if it ever were to happen, Sasuke would be the one to put him there.

But Kiba was unfazed and oblivious to the fear. "Nah, we live in the preserve; hunting's not allowed in there. In fact, the only way _you'll_ end up dead is by drowning in your lame attempts to catch fish."

"Hey!" Naruto yelled in retaliation to the offense, and in return got a laughing Kiba nuzzling his nose into his hair.

"Relax blondie, I'll teach you to catch em' in no time."

Naruto scoffed, "Like you're the master."

"Of course I am, just look at me." Kiba boasted, raising his head haughtily.

Naruto shook his head. "Careful Kiba, your ego is showing."

They both laughed softly but calmed when they reached the hollow they had to go through in order to reach the den.

Naruto made to move forward when suddenly Kiba grabbed his wrist and yanked him back.

The blond stumbled and glared at him. "What the hell was that for?!" he complained, but then he caught the look on Kiba's face.

The brunet's eyes were narrowed below a crumpled forehead, and his lips were parted slightly.

Naruto stared at him in confusion. "What? What's wrong?" When he received no answer, he raised a brow and looked at the hollow.

It was dark, save for the dim sunlight at the other end. Leaves littered the dirt ground along with pieces of bark that were scattered here and there.

Naruto snorted and tried to move again, only to have Kiba yank even harder at him. "Hold on Naruto," he voiced sternly.

"What is it?" Naruto asked again, frustrated.

"There's something not right here." Kiba whispered.

"What do you mean?"

Kiba shook his head and pointed to the hollow with a jerk of his chin. "We shouldn't go through there; we need to find another way around."

"Huh?" Naruto glanced at the hollow, "Why? What's wrong with it?"

Kiba's gaze flicked to him, and then back to the hollow. "It's way too quiet."

"It's too _quiet_?"

"Yeah, and it...it just...something's wrong." The brunet placed a clawed hand over his stomach, "I feel it in my gut."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Uh-huh, you know what that's called?" He roughly pulled his wrist out of Kiba's hold, "Gas, so c'mon."

He stepped into the hollow, and Kiba growled softly before trailing close behind him.

Neither were aware of the two sets of eyes watching them from the other end.

****

x-X-0-X-x

Sasuke could not remember ever feeling so much rage at one time. Not even when he sat by his brother's limp, broken body at the waterfall.

He knew his eyes must be the color of blood as they settled on the fox's fingers wrapping themselves around Naruto's wrist. His pale features were flushed with red anger as well, and the fine hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

Sasuke knew his breathing had quickened to pants, he knew his fangs were bared in a threatening snarl and he knew his claws were breaking the skin of his palms as he sat crouched beside his master, hidden behind a boulder.

He also knew, if that fox touched Naruto one more time, there wouldn't be a damn thing he could do to stop himself from tearing the animal to shreds.

Sasuke shook his head quickly and tried to keep his focus on Naruto. They were here for _him_, mainly, not the other fox. But every time he took notice of what his gaze was settled on, he found it trapped on that fox's hand, making sure that it didn't rise to touch the blond again.

"_Focus _Sasuke," he growled quietly to himself and fixed his eyes on Naruto.

He watched as Naruto's foot brushed a leaf over and revealed one of the metal traps; the other fox followed behind but didn't set it off either.

And that was when he saw a dark hand come up and place itself over Naruto's shoulder.

Sasuke reeled back with a beastly growl and jumped forward but was abruptly shoved back by Orochimaru. "Not yet," he ordered.

The dog squeezed his eyes shut and calmed his breathing before opening them again. Seeing that the hand was gone, he relaxed considerably.

This was not good. Sasuke still thought of Naruto as _his_, and his only thoughts right now included either _mutilating _that new fox or grabbing Naruto and ramming into him to _show _that fox not to touch what was his.

His mind had nothing on the idea of killing Naruto.

Orochimaru sat oblivious to Sasuke's inner turmoil, assuming that his energy came from the excitement of reaching their goal.

The pale man lifted his gun. He closed one eye and aimed. "This is over," he whispered, then cocked it with a light 'click'.

****

x-X-0-X-x

Naruto's ears shot up at a clicking noise and he stepped back into Kiba. And when Kiba stepped back in reaction, both of them jumped as something snapped at their feet.

They landed, only to set off more traps that came centimeters from biting into their flesh.

Naruto yelped as one of the metal jaws scraped at his ankle. He hastily grabbed Kiba and dashed out of the hollow, both of them jumping over the traps and nearly escaping capture more than a few times.

When they were met with cool dusk air, Kiba was first to hiss as a gunshot fired and sliced across his cheek.

Naruto's head snapped back to him, "Kiba!"

"I'm fine!" Kiba yelled before using their linked hands to pull Naruto into a mad run for their den.

Dried leaves crunched beneath their feet as they ran at a blinding speed, fueled by a rush of fear and haste.

Naruto already felt his legs begin to burn from the effort. He gaped for air air as he pushed himself, and suddenly, something hit him, making him stop cold and pull Kiba back as well.

That scent...he knew that scent...

Kiba tugged at him, heaving, "What the – what the hell Naruto! We can't stop!"

Naruto looked at him, eyes settled on his bleeding cheek.

He yanked his hand out of Kiba's grasp and stared at him. "Go."

Kiba stepped back before growling at him. "_What_?"

"Go, I'll catch up."

"You idiot! I'm not leaving you here!" His ears went up suddenly, catching the pounding of a set of footsteps and his gaze snapped back to Naruto, "There's no time for this! Quit fucking around!" he yelled and tried to grab at Naruto's hand again, but it was moved out of his reach.

Naruto continued defiantly, "Kiba, I'm serious, go back to the den, I'll catch up." He stopped, noticing that the scent had become heavier, which means he was coming closer.

Blue eyes widened and he shoved Kiba in the other direction, "GO!"

"Naruto-"

"NOW KIBA!"

Kiba moved back, unsure, and searched Naruto's face thoroughly. Realizing that there was nothing he could do to change the blond's mind, he bit his lip and nodded once. "You better catch up," he warned.

"I will."

And with that, Kiba turned and continued to the den.

Naruto watched him go for a moment before quickly shaking his head and running to climb a nearby boulder.

If Sasuke was coming to see him, then Naruto was going to give him one hell of a greeting.


	11. Where Loyalties Lie Part Two

****

xxxFinal Chapter: Where Loyalties Lie (Part Two)xxx

Sasuke skidded to a stop when Naruto's scent suddenly surrounded him, the abrupt move scattering leaves around his feet.

He knew he had run far, far ahead of Orochimaru, but for some reason he couldn't really bring himself to care. His nose twitched constantly at the air, head pivoting and body twisting in every direction as he tried to determine exactly where the fox was hiding.

Amid the dog's frustration, Naruto sat quietly on his hands and knees on a high boulder above the brunet. His ears were flat as he lowered himself in preparation to pounce. He ignored the flips in his stomach while staring at Sasuke, seeing that he hadn't changed a bit.

Including his dangerous attractiveness, which drew Naruto in like a moth to a burning flame. Beautiful and deadly.

Sasuke's movements were becoming desperate, his haste to find the blond not allowing him to pause and focus or even think clearly. He suddenly stopped on one spot and hollered with unrestrained fury, "WHERE ARE YOU NARUTO?!"

And Naruto took that as his cue to reel back and jump.

Sasuke's ears shot up and he spun around in time to see a blur of orange tackle him to the floor.

They slid across the dirt and Sasuke felt a weight push down on him in an attempt to pin him to the ground, but he managed to blindly reach for the other's neck and roughly push him to the side so his cheek collided with the earth.

Naruto snarled and grabbed at the dog's hair, yanking him down as well and bringing a fist to smash into his pale jaw, which sent him back a few feet and put some space between them.

Naruto sat up halfway, panting and holding a hand against his reddening cheek. He glared at Sasuke.

Sasuke was in a similar position, only his hand was cradling his jaw, red eyes boring into the fox.

The silence was heavy, thick, deafening.

Naruto's body was tense as he awaited an attack. But when nothing came, he sniffed lightly and lowered his hand; "I saw your trophy room," he bit out.

Naruto noticed the other's muscles tighten and heard the grind of his teeth, but he continued despite it, "You're disgusting," he said. "You _disgust _me Sasuke." He didn't mean it; truly, it was Sasuke's _actions _that disgusted him, but that was what came out.

The words suddenly set Sasuke off. He bolted off the ground and launched himself at Naruto, who was too stunned by the sudden movement to dodge the larger male.

Naruto fell back at the impact and raised a hand to swipe at Sasuke's face. But the dog caught the attack and yanked the arm to the side so Naruto was flipped onto his stomach and Sasuke straddled him from behind.

Naruto struggled and pressed his free arm against the ground to push himself up partially. His head snapped to the side, the corner of his eye glaring heatedly at the other. "Get off," he growled in warning.

Sasuke ignored his command and instead harshly twisted Naruto's arm, emitting a loud yelp from the blond. He leaned down to the fox's ear, until his fangs scraped at it, making it twitch. "Whore," he growled.

Naruto jerked at the word. "_What_?" He sneered, and was suddenly yanked up. His palm immediately pressed against the ground to hold himself while Sasuke kept his other arm captive behind him. He felt the dog's hips push into his backside.

Sasuke's hand wrapped around Naruto's throat and forced it back, claws scraping at the skin there. "You heard me," he whispered before twisting Naruto's arm once again and earning another cry. "Damn _whore_!"

"Stop calling me that!" Naruto yelled.

Sasuke's hand quickly moved to blond hair and yanked it back with excessive force. "Shut up damn it!"

Naruto groaned loudly at the uncomfortable position and began struggling wildly when hot breaths trailed along his ear.

Sasuke's hand slid down from the hair, falling to Naruto's crotch. He cupped his palm against it harshly, and possessively jerked the fox back against himself. "You're supposed to be _my _mate!" he screamed a little too loudly. "_Mine_! And you're fucking _whoring _yourself for that fucking _fox_!"

Naruto froze, completely.

...Mate?

He gasped as Sasuke released his arm and groin and pushed forward, slamming his palms on either side of Naruto and holding him there, lips not leaving his ear. "I'll _kill _you Naruto! I'll kill _both _of you!"

Naruto could feel the erratic breaths across his flesh, and Sasuke's fury was sending convulsive shivers down his spine. "I haven't done anything with Kiba," he murmured.

Sasuke growled deeply, "_Liar_! Don't _fuck _with me!" He pressed harder, leaving no space between them. "I can _smell _him on you!"

Naruto's rage had long since dissolved into confusion and shock. Was Sasuke actually..._jealous _of Kiba? Enough so that he was _hallucinating _about something that didn't even happen? Even more confusing, Sasuke considered Naruto his _mate_? Since when? For how long?

But nevertheless, if that was the case...then that meant...that Sasuke still cared about him, even if it was as a possession.

And what about Itachi? Sasuke's promise? Did none of it matter anymore?

Naruto flipped the possibility over and over in his head, that Sasuke still _wanted _him.

But...how _much _did Sasuke want him? A sudden smile stretched his lips, his daring side coming a flare, and he looked back at the other male. "And what if I have, Sasuke?"

Sasuke's eyes flashed dangerously, and Naruto's smile grew. "What if I _am _fucking him?"

The dog's fingers dug into the earth. "Stop it," Sasuke growled softly.

Naruto began chuckling, knowing full and well that he was playing with fire. "Sasuke, what if I'm _letting _him fuck me?"

A frustrated yell tore from Sasuke's throat, and he pushed Naruto further to the ground, his body quaking with restrained anger.

Naruto shot up and twisted to lock gazes with Sasuke, a full blown grin on his face. "What if he's claimed me Sasuke? What if I _let _him claim me?"

"I SAID STOP!" Sasuke screamed.

Naruto knew that every word coming out of his mouth was a lie, but he couldn't stop. Sasuke's reactions were so deliciously _hopeful_, they showed that he still _cared_, and Naruto couldn't get enough of it. He leaned up, until their mouths were a breath away from each other, "Sasuke..." he whispered, "What if I choose _him_...over you?"

Sasuke seemed so overcome with his own storming emotions. His eyes were fixated on Naruto's mouth, on the words pouring out of it. "No," he said.

Naruto's eyes searched his warily. "What if I love him Sasuke?"

The blond winced as claws pierced his arm. "I'll _**kill **_him!"

Naruto stared at him and blinked once with half-lidded eyes, then opened his mouth slowly. "Sasuke...what if...I still want _you_?"

All motion stopped, and Sasuke sat with an empty stare as Naruto leaned in slowly, their breaths heating until lips brushed lightly.

But before Naruto could seal the distance through a kiss, Sasuke was suddenly shoved off of him, and he found himself being hauled off the ground and pulled into a run with Kiba in the lead.

Sasuke lay disoriented behind them for a moment before shaking his head and getting back on his feet.

Naruto quickly looked back to Kiba. "What are you doing here?! I told you to go back to the den!"

"And leave you there with an insane dog that wants to kill you?! Sorry if that's not my fucking way of doing things Naruto!" he yelled before abruptly dropping and squeezing into their den, dragging Naruto in with him.

They sat in the dark hole, panting heavily, until Kiba slightly pushed Naruto aside and peeked out of the den, seeing that dog coming to them, his master not too far behind.

"Shit," he muttered and leaned back before looking at Naruto. "But I don't think they can get in here, they're not-"

"You should've left me there! Damn it Kiba, I was so _close_!"

Kiba gawked at him. "What the fuck is _wrong _with you? Close to being killed _that's_ what you were fucking close too! I saved your ass!"

Naruto shook his head quickly. "No Kiba, he still...we almost kissed and he-" A series of rabid growls cut him off and made them jump, turning their attention to the den's opening where they found Sasuke trying desperately to claw his way inside.

His red eyes were wild and fangs bared in a foamy snarl, it was a look of pure murder.

Kiba pushed himself back into Naruto, away from the dog. "Does that look like the face of someone who wants to _kiss _you?!" he screamed.

Naruto's eyes widened as he scooted back as well, his ears flattening.

Kiba felt the blond move away out of fear, and it ignited something in the pit of his being that set his face to determination. He jumped forward and lashed out at the animal; cutting his forehead and making him jump back with a loud cry.

* * *

Sasuke jerked back as that damn fox cut across his face, and he slammed right into Orochimaru who immediately shoved him back off.

"You left me _behind _Sasuke!" the pale man accused, infuriated with him.

Sasuke quickly turned to him, forehead leaking blood. "They're in there, both of them!" he said, ignoring both his master's complaint and his own wound.

Orochimaru's eyes suddenly widened, forgetting his anger. He looked at the small hole before circling it and finding another hole in the back.

The man snorted softly before bending over and grabbing a fistful of dry grass, then tossing it over the hole. He cradled the gun in the crook of his arm, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a matchbook. Orochimaru took one match out before igniting it along the small box and tossing it into the brush, starting a fire to block the exit.

He then went back to the front of the den and aimed the rifle at it. "This is their only way out now," he assured.

Sasuke stared at the growing fire for a minute before dropping back to his knees and again tried prying his way inside.

* * *

Naruto jumped as Sasuke came back even more angry than he was before, which seemed nearly impossible.

Kiba shook his head. "This guy just doesn't quit," he muttered and placed an arm in front of Naruto protectively, only helping to fuel Sasuke's anger.

The fox growled softly. "Quick Naruto, we gotta go out the back."

Naruto tore his gaze away from Sasuke to look at Kiba before nodding and turning to the back exit, only to be met with a flaming clump of grass that nearly fell on his hand.

He jerked back quickly, "Shit!"

Kiba's eyes narrowed. "Damn it..." He looked back out the other way, meeting Sasuke's eyes. "We're trapped."

Naruto's head suddenly fell forward, and he began coughing from the smoke of the fire that was seeping into the den. "Shit," he repeated. "Kiba, we've gotta do something!"

Kiba shot him a frustrated look. "You think I don't -cough- know that?!"

Naruto lowered himself to the ground, below the smoke, to help his breathing, his eyes watery and burning from it. He looked at Sasuke again for a moment before glancing at Kiba. "If we go that way, we die for sure."

Kiba was in a coughing fit, so his response was a nod.

Naruto's brow crumpled, he turned back to the fire. "Kiba...we have to jump through."

Kiba dropped next to him, his own eyes red and irritated as well, "Through the -cough- fire?!"

Naruto's gaze snapped to him. "We have to!"

"You're insane!"

"Kiba we don't -cough- have a choice! C'mon, on three!"

Kiba hesitated before turning to face the back exit along with Naruto and nodded.

Naruto took a breath, "One."

Kiba gulped, "Two."

"THREE!"

They both pushed with their feet and launched themselves through the hole without thinking, one right after the other.

The flames licked at their skin as they pushed through and landed on the ground, then, without missing a beat, burst into a run.

Orochimaru's eyes grew wide, "Impossible!"

Sasuke pulled himself out and quickly scrambled to his feet with utter disbelief on his face.

The pair stood shocked before composing themselves and going after the foxes.

****

x-X-0-X-x

Night had fallen now, and Naruto and Kiba ran madly through the forest, headed towards the side of a cliff that they could climb.

Naruto cried out as he felt something singe his stomach, and looked down to find that a small part of his shirt had caught fire. He hastily yanked it off his body and threw it to the ground, legs pumping beneath him.

Kiba reached the rocks and jumped on them, beginning his climb with the blond right behind him.

****

x-X-0-X-x

When Sasuke and Orochimaru caught up, they saw both foxes already pulling themselves over a cliff, and they quickly found a slant of land that would lead them in the same direction, although it would take a little more time.

****

x-X-0-X-x

Kiba tugged Naruto over the cliff, both of them collapsing on the stone ground.

Naruto sat up, his chest heaving as he placed a hand over it in an attempt to calm his heart.

Kiba finally managed to catch his breath and slowly stood up from the ground. "Fuck...what now?" he asked.

Naruto shook his head, looking around to see if there was someplace they could hide. He spotted a cave in front of a waterfall and pointed at it, "In there!"

Kiba smacked his hand away from the object, "You moron! That's a bear cave!"

"Well how was I supposed to know?!"

Kiba growled in frustration and looked back at the cave, and that was when he spotted the log protruding from behind it. He traced it with his eyes, seeing that it cut in front of the waterfall and led to another cliff. He pointed to it as Naruto had to the cave. "There! We can climb that and jump to the other cliff, then break it so they can't follow us."

Naruto eyed the wood, considering, when all of a sudden his ears stood up and he looked behind him, catching sight of Sasuke and Orochimaru coming closer to them, the pale man having his rifle pointed already.

His heart jumped and he hastily got his feet and grabbed Kiba. "Okay c'mon!" he yelled before they ran to their escape.

Sasuke cursed as he saw the two get up and run again and Orochimaru acted on impulse. He raised his gun and pointed at them, then shot.

Unfortunately, the pair was running right past a cave when he decided to shoot, and they dodged it, which let the bullet run straight inside.

The next sound that boomed out of that hole stopped Sasuke and Orochimaru right in their tracks.

It was a roar, and it sounded big.

Orochimaru stepped back with fear as an enormous bear slowly rose out of the cave and blocked the foxes from his and Sasuke's view.

It stepped forward, the gun wound red on its chest from the blood matted on its fur.

Orochimaru continued to step back as the creature advanced on him, rifle aimed at it and shaking in his hands. Until something bit painfully into his ankle that caused him to yell out in pain and fall back, dropping the weapon so it skidded across the ground.

He looked at his foot, and as fate would have it, it was a hunter's trap, jaws clamped tightly around him.

The beast growled at him, teeth gleaming in the moonlight as it came closer.

Orochimaru was frozen as the bear loomed over him, paw raised in preparation for a strike. His jaw dropped but nothing came out, throat choked with the pain from his foot and the fear in his eyes.

But just as the claw came down, something jumped onto the animal's thick neck, causing its head to tilt back with a loud roar and stumble away from the man.

Sasuke sank his teeth into fur and flesh, his feet slipping and pushing against the beast's chest to help him hold on.

When it tried to shake its head to throw him off, Sasuke clenched his teeth and brought his hand up to claw at the animal's eyes.

Its jaws tore open like a gaping black hole, releasing a blood curdling cry when Sasuke's claw found what it had been searching for, and the dog felt a warm fluid leak from the socket and run down his hand.

The bear began jerking wildly and reached up to grab Sasuke by the back of his neck, yanking him off and throwing him to the ground, emitting a yelp.

* * *

Kiba let out a breath of relief when he landed on the cliff in one piece. He turned back to Naruto, who was still on the tip of the log.

"C'mon Naruto!" he encouraged. "Just jump!"

Naruto's ears went down. He leaned forward a bit and peered over the edge, seeing a very long fall to the bottom and snapping back into place.

Kiba frowned. "I can't jump back Naruto!" he reminded him. "Just do it!"

Naruto teetered on the edge of the wood and nodded. He readied himself by crouching when a cry that sounded very much like Sasuke cut through the raging waterfall beside him and caught his attention, turning his head back.

His eyes widened as he saw a bear lower itself onto all fours and slowly advance on Sasuke, who was lying on the floor.

Naruto's chest tightened and he took a step backwards. But while he was turning, Kiba called out to him again, "Naruto! Hurry up!"

The blond snapped back to him, then to Sasuke. His heart was hammering within his chest as his eyes darted back and forth between the two.

Kiba's brow furrowed and he cupped his hands around his mouth, "NARUTO!"

Blue eyes flicked to his direction, settling on him and staring.

Naruto stepped forward.

* * *

Sasuke coughed blood as the bear slammed an enormous paw against his stomach and pinned him. His eyes faded in and out between black and red.

He managed a glance at Orochimaru, trying desperately to pry the trap off his foot. But a glob of saliva that splashed on his cheek pulled Sasuke back to the current situation.

The bear stood over him, snarling with red and white fluid leaking from its injured eye. Its teeth were shiny with saliva and dripping from its open mouth to land on and around Sasuke.

The bear once again brought up a paw to strike its first prey of the night, and Sasuke shut his eyes to brace himself for the onslaught he knew was coming.

But something unexpected happened.

Another roar erupted from the animal, and the pressure on Sasuke's chest lifted.

Coal eyes flew open to find Naruto latched onto the bear's head, his teeth clamped tightly around an ear.

Sasuke watched in awe as the beast stood up and tossed its head, throwing Naruto off and sending him flying to land by the cave.

Naruto quickly got on all fours, growling at the animal with bared fangs as it turned its attention to him.

Despite the gun wound in its chest and being blinded in one eye, the bear seemed unstoppable. It charged.

Its paw swiped at Naruto's feet, but the fox jumped at the last second so it swished right under him.

When he was on ground again, Naruto turned and ran back to the log, coaxing the bear to follow him and feeling satisfied when it did.

He placed a foot on the log and pushed himself on it, then turned and carefully began walking backwards.

The bear growled deep within its throat and climbed on as well, following him.

And suddenly, the log tipped.

Naruto's eyes widened with surprise as he dug his claws in to steady himself.

But the animal did not stop. It came closer, like it didn't even notice its weight straining the log as it cracked beneath them.

Naruto continued stepping back with fear, not having anticipated this. His plan had been to jump to the cliff with Kiba, who he had miraculously convinced once again to go on ahead, and have the bear fall between the jump when it tried to follow him.

The wood jerked again, and this time, Naruto slipped. But he was able to hook his arms over the log and hold on, his bottom half dangling and tail swinging side to side through the air.

Naruto gasped and tried to pull himself up, his efforts proving futile as the bear finally filled his view and the wood shook again.

His ears flattened when the animal slowly leaned down with a sinister snarl on its face, his blood running cold when it lurched at him in what seemed like slow motion.

But the moment it did, an earth shattering 'SNAP' could be heard throughout the forest, and Naruto's arms slid from the wood.

He found the wind pushing against his back, as if trying to slow his fall, while the star littered sky moved farther and farther away.

His mind was blank, hearing filled with the rush of air flowing past him and the crashing waterfall that watched him plummet.

Vision suddenly became clouded; faded into a meshed blur of black and pale smears.

****

x-X-0-X-x

Orochimaru's leg throbbed in pain as he limped to the river's shallow edge, finally having walked back down the cliff after freeing himself of the trap. A dotted path of blood trailed behind him.

Naruto lay in the shallow water, on his side with half lidded eyes, breathing softly. His cheek and the corner of his lip was hidden beneath the liquid. Arms were bent at his sides, hands palm up by his head, unmoving.

He was utterly shocked and so grateful to still be alive, and even in one piece it seemed. Though his body felt heavy, weak, and extremely tired. And his side was pulsing with light pain, making it a little difficult to breathe.

He wondered why the bear wasn't here, and assumed that it must have fallen into the river's current and been carried away.

But that was the least of his problems right now. He was barely able to feel his own heartbeat, and here was Orochimaru, looming over him with a rifle staring the fox in the face.

The man was heaving, his eyes wide with fury and boring into the blond. As if blaming him as the root source for all of Orochimaru's suffering.

And he could nothing but stare helplessly back.

Orochimaru pulled the hammer back with his thumb. "This ends _now_," he sneered, finger on the trigger.

Naruto's eyes narrowed as Orochimaru suddenly disappeared behind a veil of black, vanishing. But he could still hear the man, since he caught a growl that hadn't come from himself.

Blue eyes trailed up sluggishly, and widened when they recognized the back of a pale neck covered by black trestles. His arms were stretched out, and the tip of his dark tail brushed lightly across Naruto's stomach.

Orochimaru made a beyond frustrated noise. "Get out of the way Sasuke!"

Sasuke flinched, but after a moment, shook his head. He turned and slowly sank to his knees beside Naruto, then leaned forward and placed his hands beneath the water on either side of the blond's chest. He looked back at his master and "No," was stated firmly.

Orochimaru stepped forward, his gun still aimed. "_What_?" he seethed.

But Sasuke held steady, his eyes steeled and body unwavering. "I won't let you harm him."

"Have you _forgotten _who you're speaking to?!"

The dog's body tightened and he pressed closer to the fox. "No," he assured. "I haven't. But if you kill him, Orochimaru...be damn sure I'll kill us both."

The man jerked with shock.

Sasuke's jaw clenched and his eyes bled to red. "You _and _me, I swear I will," he promised.

Orochimaru stared with wide eyes, then seemed to get over the shock as they closed to slits. He took another step forward and pushed the rifle's mouth against Sasuke's forehead.

The dog didn't so much as flinch.

His master snarled and abruptly shoved the gun into his head, causing blood to leak out from the cut Kiba had made earlier. "Ungrateful, disobedient _trash_," he growled.

The harsh words did not evoke a single blink.

The man's eyes flickered between the two animals, and his face gradually fell from anger to indifference and finally, exhaustion. He let out a sigh. The gun descended, and the very second Orochimaru's hand landed on dark hair, Sasuke's eyes quickly receded to black, his mouth parting in surprise.

Pale fingers moved back and forth slowly, then switched to stroke and ear before pulling back. "Let's go," he ordered, then turned and began limping away.

Sasuke watched him go, stunned and completely speechless. Orochimaru had never..._petted _him before...and he was so sure he would have had to put up a fight to protect...

He stopped.

"Naruto," he murmured, turning his attention to the blond lying beneath him.

The fox was frowning at him, eyes bright with a mixture of curiosity and confusion, but still too drained to say anything about the situation.

Sasuke held his gaze, both glowing under the moonlight, and he licked his lips before slowly leaning down.

Naruto felt his heart jump, expecting Sasuke to press their mouths in a kiss. But he was a bit surprised to find those lips trailing to his ear, and whispering something he was sure he'd never hear from them again, "I love you."

Sasuke stood up, his clothes and fingers dripping with water. He gave the fox a long, hard stare before smiling slightly, then turned and walked away.

Naruto watched him leave, his stomach twisting painfully and shooting words up his throat, "I love you too," he whispered.

Sasuke stopped but didn't turn back, his ears high on his head. He stood completely still for a few moments, his ears flattening again, then continued his leave.

Naruto whined softly and took a deep breath, forcing his sore muscles into motion by rolling himself onto his stomach and, with a lot of effort, standing up.

He slowly came out of the water and onto dry land, holding his side with an arm wrapped around his torso.

Naruto lifted his head to look at Sasuke again, who was nearly out of sight between the dark trees of the forest.

He felt his mouth tilt into a smile, before he turned and began walking in another direction.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**The bear was the real victim here :(**


	12. Epilogue

****

xxxEpiloguexxx

Orochimaru hissed in discomfort as Iruka tightened the bandage around his ankle. "Ah! Watch what you're doing!"

Iruka's brow knitted and he glared up at the man; "Well if you keep squirming around, of course it's going to hurt!" He tugged at the appendage, evoking another groan of discomfort. The brunet sniffed at the man's attitude and tied the bandage. "At least now you know what it _feels _like to be caught in one of those horrible things."

They were sitting on Orochimaru's front porch, occupying two rocking chairs that sat facing each other. While Kakashi sat in a wooden chair between them and watched with an amused expression.

The pale man had his leg draped on Iruka's lap, since the man had offered to help with his wound and Kabuto had already returned to the city, Orochimaru didn't have many options if he wanted to keep his foot. He crossed his arms and turned his glare to the wolf. "Why does _that _have to be here?"

Kakashi frowned momentarily, but then his eyes scrunched right back up. Orochimaru might still be an asshole, but whatever happened in that forest had changed him for the better, as could be seen by the fact that he and the hunter were sitting mere feet from one another. So Kakashi raised a leg and lightly dropped it on top of Orochimaru's, making the man's eyes widen in pain and his body jerk with surprise.

"Now now pale one, I'm not a 'that', I'm your neighbor. And good neighbors like each other, don't they Iruka?"

Iruka smiled at the wolf's antics, as they reminded him of Naruto. "Yes Kakashi, they do."

Orochimaru snorted and looked out into the sunny morning; the rays brightening the small field of grass in front of his house.

He suddenly felt something tug at his cheek and quickly slapped Kakashi's hand away. "Knock it off!"

Kakashi chuckled, "You just look so serene, staring at nothing like that," he teased.

Orochimaru growled and snapped his eyes to Iruka. "If your damn animal continues to annoy me, I'll shoot it!"

He bit back a loud curse and dropped his head forward with gritted teeth when Iruka smacked his foot, sending a pain that rocketed up his leg. "Now that is _not _how we speak to neighbors, Orochimaru. We're all going to have to be spending a lot of time together if we're going to fix this sociopath problem of yours."

The man slowly glared up at him, sweat collecting on his brow from the pain of that smack. "And what if I don't _want _it 'fixed'?"

Kakashi grabbed Orochimaru's exposed big toe between his forefinger and thumb and wiggled it slightly, causing the man to bite his tongue to hold back another yell of pain. "Sorry to say, but you don't have much of a choice in the matter."

Orochimaru scowled at him after he let go, then rolled his golden eyes and looked away, while Iruka and Kakashi glanced at each with growing smiles.  
****

x-X-0-X-x

Sasuke laughed quietly at the three men on the porch through the window. But his laughter died down when his eyes trailed to the forest beyond their property.

His ears flattened, and his claws slowly scraped into the window sill before letting it go completely and dropping to his sides. He turned gradually to face his brother, who was sitting in a chair by the crackling fireplace.

It had been two days since they returned from the forest. And they were surprised to find Itachi without the arm bandages when they came back, though it shouldn't have been a surprise, since Kabuto was a highly talented and noted doctor back in the city.

Unfortunately, he had been called away on duty before their return and had had to leave Itachi alone for about half a day or so.

But the dog was in much better condition now, able to move around himself, though his leg was still giving him some trouble.

He still hadn't uttered a word though, not one.

Sasuke wasn't sure what to make of this.

He sighed softly and pulled a chair away from a table, then went and put in front of Itachi before sitting down on it across from him.

The elder dog had his head back against the wall, staring off to the side with his arms loosely crossed over his stomach and partially resting on his lap, since he still did not have full control over them.

Sasuke placed his elbows on his knees and laced his fingers in front of him. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it, not sure if he had the strength to say what he wanted to say.

However, after giving it a moment of thought, he looked at his brother and opened again, "Itachi," he said.

He wasn't acknowledged, but he pressed on nonetheless, "I...I'm sorry...that I didn't avenge you..." His eyes lowered to the floor. "I couldn't...bring myself to hurt him...but still...what he did to you...it wasn't fair...and I'm sorry..."

He bit his lip, knowing that he had failed in his brother's eyes. But he couldn't control how he felt about Naruto. He had had images of killing him, holding his bruised and tattered body like a trophy in his hands. But when the opportunity presented itself, he...he couldn't bring himself to do it. The realization that Naruto still cared for him, even after all the shit Sasuke had given him, made it seem like nothing else mattered. He had only wanted to protect what he thought they had lost.

And that...made him weak.

Sasuke sighed again and buried his face in his hands.

A light scoff. "Foolish little brother."

"I'm not..." Sasuke paused, his eyes widening and his head shooting up to find his brother staring down at him.

He blinked in disbelief, wondering if it had been a hallucination. "Itachi...did you-"

"Your stupidity simply amazes me sometimes."

Sasuke said nothing to the insults. He simply stared at his brother, trying to grasp exactly what it was that was going on here.

"Why...why are you speaking?"

Itachi raised a fine brow. "Why? Well because I have something to say, obviously."

Sasuke's eyes shifted in confusion. "Why haven't you spoken before now?"

"Come now Sasuke, use that mind of yours. Because I had _nothing _to say."

Sasuke scoffed and shook his head. "Well what the fuck is so goddamn important that you decided to open your mouth _now _after how long I've been shitting bricks of worry over you?"

"Tell me Sasuke, if you were in the hands of a predator who was about to kill you, what you do?" his brother asked, completely ignoring his question.

"What the fuck kind of question is that?"

"Answer the question."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Obviously, I would defend myself, kill if need be."

Itachi nodded. "Good good, now, please tell me why this was such a bad reaction for Naruto to choose."

Sasuke flinched at the blond's name before narrowing his gaze and shaking his head. "I...don't understand what you mean."

Itachi sat as upright as he could without being uncomfortable. "Sasuke, do you remember the night your little fox friend came to see you?"

Sasuke couldn't help the heat that rushed up his cheeks. "Yes." His brow furrowed, "The same night he pushed you over the waterfall."

Itachi shook his head. "Do you honestly believe that boy is capable of such an act?"

Sasuke thought about it. "Well...no, but-"

"He was defending himself Sasuke, would you have rather I killed him?"

Sasuke held up his hands. "Itachi...are you saying none of this was Naruto's _fault_?"

"Does it sound to you like it's his fault?"

Sasuke shot up from his chair. "Cut the fucking questions damn it! You couldn't have told me shit _before _I left to go avenge your injuries which I'm now finding out were caused in Naruto's attempt to _defend _himself?"

"I blamed him at first as well, but I came to understand that anyone would have done the same thing, even you and even I."

Sasuke threw his arms up in frustration. "Are you _defending _him Itachi?! If I had known this was the case, I would have _never _gone after Naruto like I did! Do you have any _idea _how many things got fucked up between us because of this?!"

"Do you love him?"

Sasuke's whole body jerked, completely taken aback by the question.

Who the hell _was _this guy? Itachi wouldn't ask him something like that.

And that was when Sasuke caught it.

His eyes went impossibly wide to find that Itachi's eyes...were as black as his own.

The image was overwhelming. Since Sasuke's _birth_, Itachi's eyes had always been stained red...what the hell had gone through his mind while he was here recovering? What had dissipated his anger and ruthlessness enough to bring his orbs back to their natural onyx color?

Sasuke was pulled out of his musings by his brother's voice, "Well, do you?" he pressed insistently, growing impatient.

Sasuke stared at him, their eyes locked and unable to pull away. "...Yes." he answered, "I never stopped."

For the first time in so long, Itachi's lips curled into a devilish smirk. "Then why are you sitting here talking to me?"  
****

x-X-0-X-x

Naruto awoke with a start, his blue eyes flickering quickly over the den that surrounded him. They calmed after a moment and closed slowly with a breath of relief.

He'd dreamt about the bear, that Naruto hadn't distracted it in time to save Sasuke.

The blond shook his head and stretched his arms out, turning his head curiously when he felt the empty space beside him.

Where was Kiba?

Naruto frowned and sat up, wincing only slightly as a light sting came from his still healing side. He got on his knees and crawled out of the den into the hot morning. Naruto stood up and looked around himself, not spotting the fox anywhere.

That was very strange. After leaving Sasuke, Naruto was found by Kiba halfway to the den, who promptly went off on him. The tired fox hadn't really listened though, only hearing something about 'trying to be a hero' and 'get yourself killed' before collapsing and passing out at the brunet's feet from fatigue.

He assumed Kiba must have dragged him back to the den, since the look on his face before he blacked out was utter worry. He remembered waking up momentarily yesterday, glancing at his friend who was sleeping beside him before falling back into sleep himself.

But then where was Kiba now?

Naruto tilted his head back, squinting at the bright sun. Then his eyes widened as a thought crossed his mind, and Naruto began to walk.  
****

x-X-0-X-x

The blond fox knelt down and pulled the bushes apart, met with the sight of the white flower meadow. The morning light showered it with harsh rays, the kind that made your eyes narrow and bathed everything in a white glow.

He felt his lips spread out at what he found in the center of the field.

Kiba had his eyes closed, his hand cupping the back of Hinata's neck as he kissed her sweetly, her own hand caressing his cheek as she returned the intimate gesture.

Naruto chuckled softly to himself and stood back up, allowing the two their privacy as the bushes swished back into place.

He turned on his heel with a small smile and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Guess I gotta find a new buddy," he murmured.

He truly felt happy for Kiba, but sad for himself. Knowing this meant that the fox was going to be spending much more time with Hinata now, most likely even leave with her.

He stopped walking; now being far enough away from the meadow, and looked up to the sunlight poking holes through the canopy of trees. He bit his lip, "Maybe I should find a girl too," he muttered.

"And maybe I should chop your balls off for thinking that way."

Naruto gasped and spun around, coming face to face with Sasuke. His breath seeped out slowly, heart pounding in his chest. "Sasuke..." he whispered, shocked that he hadn't caught the dog's presence. "What...what are you doing here?"

Sasuke shrugged with a small smirk. "Turns out I'm in love with this fox, and..." his eyes flicked down to the other, "I owe him an apology."

Naruto shook his head, and stepped back when Sasuke began stepping forward. But he had to stop when his back bumped into a tree. "For what?" he asked, the other's proximity clouding his thoughts, assaulting his senses.

Sasuke smiled slightly and placed an arm over the blond's head, resting it against the tree and staring down at him. "Would you believe, that I nearly tried to kill him over something that I just found out wasn't even his fault?" He scoffed, "And then, I walked out on him a couple of days ago, even though all I wanted to do was take him over and over again in this river we were laying in. Can you believe that?"

Naruto shook his head again, his breathing increasing when he realized how close Sasuke's lips had drawn to his own. His tongue darted out to moisten them, tasting the other in the process. "Is that all?" the question came out hopeful.

"No." Sasuke whispered, "It can't just be words. I was hoping he'd let me stay with him, so I'll have the rest of our lives to make up for it."

Naruto's heartbeat rose dangerously in speed, his fingers coming up to grasp at Sasuke's hair and pull him down slowly, "What about Orochimaru and Itachi?" came out in a raspy murmur.

Sasuke shook his head as he was pulled down, "Who?"

Their mouths crashed, and Sasuke inhaled heavily as he crushed Naruto's body with his own against the tree.

Naruto jerked the other closer as a tongue was shoved into his mouth, touching and swirling along his own before pulling back along with Sasuke's lips.

Sasuke's mouth trailed the blond's jaw and fell to his neck, his teeth clamping down on a patch of skin and sucking vigorously. His hands moved to the fox's hips, grabbing them and forcefully rubbing them against his own, creating a delicious friction.

Naruto tossed his head back and pressed his thumbs against Sasuke's flattened ears, his body already rising in temperature. "Fuck," he growled and bucked furiously into Sasuke's touch.

Sasuke snickered, releasing the skin and bringing his lips to Naruto's temple. "We would've about three times already if you'd asked a few days ago."

Naruto's head fell forward, breathing heavily as he rubbed his cheek against Sasuke's. "I missed you so much."

Sasuke didn't even want to get started on missing each other. All he wanted right now was make this fox his again, since he noticed his smell had worn off the other.

He reached down and fumbled with Naruto's zipper, pulling it down while Naruto simply tugged roughly at Sasuke's jeans and got them down in one quick pull, exposing his erection.

Sasuke gasped as the air hit his member and hastily shoved two fingers in Naruto's mouth, but the blond jerked them out. "No, just do it. Do it now Sasuke," he ordered.

Sasuke hesitated a moment but nodded and turned the blond around, forcing one of his wrists against the tree and hissing when the other pushed back on him.

This was not love making like they'd done before, this was need. They would have time for slow and loving later, but this, this was quick and rough. He grabbed his dick and placed the head at Naruto's hole, smearing the pre-cum to make it a little easier to slide in. Just for extra measure, he spit in his hand and coated himself as well, then in a flash, entered with one deep plunge.

Naruto cried out with a loud curse, his muscles tightening around the organ as they tried to force Sasuke back out. His claws dug into the tree as he held his tears, knowing the pain wouldn't last too long but he hadn't really expected the onslaught to be that bad.

He felt Sasuke's head fall into the space between his neck and shoulder. "I'm sorry," he panted, and Naruto could hear the restrained pleasure in his words.

"S'kay," he managed and pushed back again, urging Sasuke to continue. He felt the other's clothed stomach stroke down his back as he pulled out before ramming back inside, then back again and push right in once more.

Sasuke's hips worked furiously, one hand coming down to hold Naruto's hip and drive him on his dick.

Naruto's breaths were erratic, and his free hand placed itself over Sasuke's on his hip as he met with the other's thrusts. His forehead pushed against the bark of the tree, "Shit...uhn...Suke..."

Sasuke's fingers let go of Naruto's wrist, winding into his hair instead to pull his head back so he could pant in a flattened red ear.

Naruto's body shook as he felt his climax approaching, "Hah...ahn – yes..."

Sasuke groaned throatily, his stomach arched into Naruto's back and he came with a shudder, shooting everything he had inside of the blond.

Naruto followed after, his toes curling into the grass as his mouth opened in a silent scream and his load splashed onto the tree. His legs suddenly buckled, but Sasuke was quick to catch him and they both dropped to their knees, fighting for breath.

After a moment, Sasuke leaned forward to the other's ear. "Is that a yes?" he asked playfully.

Naruto turned his head, still panting a little through a smile. "It just so happens -hah- that I need a new den mate." He paused. "We are mates...aren't we?"

Sasuke raised a brow. "What? You think I'm just marking you for the fun of it like a damn bush? Of course we're mates." He pulled out of the fox and flipped him so he lay on the ground on his back while Sasuke hovered over him. "And _since _we're mates," he growled softly, "I don't want you hanging around that other fox anymore."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Kiba and I never did anything, he's with a female."

"I don't care."

"Why do you think I need a new den mate? Kiba's probably going to be with her from now on anyway and wherever she is." He shrugged, "He won't be around much."

Sasuke scrunched up his nose, "He better not be...and I can't stay in that den Naruto, I don't fit through that hole."

Naruto couldn't help the snort of laughter that escaped him and he shoved Sasuke's shoulder, "So what? There are a lot of 'holes' you can't fit into."

It took Sasuke a moment to get what the blond was hinting at, and he dropped his head with a smile, lips hovering over Naruto's, "And?"

Naruto laughed softly. "And yet you've always managed to squeeze your way inside."

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**Cheesy ending and dirty jokes FTW 8D**

**Hope you enjoyed, reviews are more than welcomed. **


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